Night Fall
by CarolineOh
Summary: Brynn Sloane was just looking for a change when she moved to Forks, WA to live with her father. What she didn't expect to find was someone like Adam Wood: devilishly handsome, incredibly charming and intelligent... The kind of guy you read about in storybooks. But Adam has his own secret, and Brynn finds herself living in a world where myths are much closer to reality.
1. Meeting

"Brynn? Are you still sure you want to do this?"

What a loaded question.

I fiddled with my fingers in my lap as my mom, Jane, drove me to the airport. Glancing out the window, I watched the dark green trees whisking by as torrents of rain cascaded down the windows.

Jane had turned her eyes towards me. My mom had her blonde, perfectly highlighted hair cut into a soft, curly bob that surrounded her face; a face made up of high cheekbones, laugh lines and eyes that were both an electric and warm shade of hazel.

People that had known my parents when they were married had a habit of telling me that I looked exactly like the two of them, but I knew that I was my mother's daughter. We both had a quick wit and an easy smile. My mom and I were people-pleasers, but if I was being honest, my mom could be a little manic.

I could thank my lucky stars that I had inherited a part of my father's unnaturally calm demeanor.

"Yes, Mom, I'm sure. I just need to get out of Ocean City." I answered the question for what seemed like the hundredth time. I had to repeat the phrase as often as possible to convince myself that I was, in fact, sure of myself. She looked at me again with a worried expression, her eyebrows furrowing.

"Alright… If you insist," she replied exhaustedly, looking back at the road as we neared the exit towards Philadelphia. I leaned my elbow on the door, looking back out at the rain and trees, thinking how this was the exact environment I was about to find myself in.

What I told my mom was true―I needed to get out of that town. While growing up, I had appreciated the nearly rainless days and living five minutes from the beach, but I found getting older in such a small town was no longer so stylized and pristine. I had good friends, friends that I loved and laughed with, don't get me wrong, but I always felt out of place in Ocean City. Never once did I feel natural in my own skin, regardless of the people I surrounded myself with. Everything just felt too… Normal. And maybe I was normal too, or maybe I wasn't, which could explain why I never found my niche. Normal may have been the wrong word to describe my small, New Jersey hometown. Ocean City itself was beautiful and I had a great time as a kid there, but the people were so _average_ and expected you to be so as well. I just needed a change of pace, and to get away from the people that I had always known.

_I'm sure._

I was going to miss the sun, and I was going to miss my best friends, but I could no longer deal with being stuck in my same old town, doing the same things. I had my fun, kissed a few boys, even had a boyfriend for a time, but I couldn't handle the similarities and the exclusion I felt every day. I needed a change, and when the opportunity to move across the country to live with my dad presented itself, I was more than willing to hop on it, despite my sadness that I would no longer be living with my vibrant spark of a mother.

_I'm __**sure**__. _

We finally reached the city, the chill, late autumn weather leaving the streets sparse of people. My mom pulled into the parking lot and cut the engine of her Lexus. "I'm _just_ checking before you go inside- You're completely sure you want to go live with your father?" she asked, grasping for my paler hand. My mom had always worshipped the sun while I fought for my tan every summer, and while I was sprinkled with freckles and still had some remnant of a tan, my mother's skin was still a rich bronze.

God, I'd miss her eternal sunshine.

"Yes Mom. I'm sure I want to go live with Michael," I said, squeezing her hand. When my parents had gotten divorced, I was only 6 years old and soon after my father moved across the country to follow his firm. My parents' break up wasn't by any means the easiest, but they had settled into a long distance friendship after so many years. I was only able to visit Michael on the rare occasions when he had time off from his job and I had time off from school. Regardless of this fact, he was still a good dad, even if it was from 3000 miles away, and when I had sighed one too many times during a phone call with him, he offered me a proposition: come out to Washington and ride out the rest of my senior year before I went off to college (wherever that may have been) and I would get to live with him for the first time in 11 years. My mom was reluctant to see her little girl go a year before she expected me to, but after promising that I'd try and come home whenever I could, she had warmed up to the plan, especially after realizing that she had, in fact, had me all to herself most of my life.

She heaved a deep sigh, and while part of me was so very sure, another part wanted to stay right where I was and forget about leaving. I'd miss my mommy.

"Alright," she exhaled, getting out of the car to help me with my bags. "I'll be here if you ever want to come back," my mom reminded me, pulling me into one of her bear hugs. I nestled my face into her neck, breathing in the familiar scent of her perfume and tearing at the thought that I wouldn't be able to hug her whenever I wanted anymore.

So this is what homesickness felt like.

"Okay Mommy, I love you," I told her, pulling out of her hug and kissing her on the cheek.

"I love you too, honey. And you call me whenever you want," she replied softly, kissing me again before hurrying back into the car. I could already see the water works beginning in her eyes. I shut my door and shuffled across to the terminal entrance. As I dragged my bag through the automatic door, I stubbed my toe on the edge between the tile. I cursed quietly, regretting my refusal to wear anything but flip flops until it was cold enough to freeze off my toes. I quickly adjusted my navy vest and the cream cable knit sweater I had paired underneath it, before running a hand through my hair. I tried to pull myself together so I could just keep moving on like I hadn't just goofed, then headed off in the direction of my terminal.

As I sat waiting for the plane to start boarding, I pulled my hair into a high ponytail and then grabbed my iPhone out of my jean pocket. I texted my two best friends, Zoe and Mia, to let them know that I was leaving soon.

They were really the only true friends I had. We'd been friends since kindergarten, each growing up in different situations. I lived a happy, privileged life, even though I didn't have a permanent father figure until I was twelve, when my mom began dating her boyfriend, Mark. Zoe grew up in a laid-back lifestyle, with her surfer father and bawdy, Australian mother teaching her to have a good work ethic, but to always enjoy life for what it was. Zoe had always been the child that Mia and I weren't. On the other hand, when we were young, it appeared that Mia was a lucky girl- she had a lot of things and her house didn't have many rules, but as we got older the cracks began to show. Her parents were divorced, and while going to two different houses each week seemed fun for us as kids, it became apparent that her mom was into partying a lot and her dad was just doing the best he could. Zoe and I were there for her no matter what when she needed a place to stay- my own mother said she would have adopted her.

Zoe said she would text me every day, and Mia seconded the notion. I thanked them and sighed at the thought that I most likely wouldn't see them for quite some time. I huffed out a sharp breath, putting away my phone, as my plane was called. While I boarded the plane, the short, plump stewardess looked at my passport, then at me, and then back at passport.

"You're only seventeen?" she asked in a high pitched, Philly accent. She eyed me again before I answered with a yes.

"You look like you're in your twenties though," she said, but stamped my passport anyway.

"So I've been told," I replied, rolling my eyes slightly and attempting a good humored laugh as I took back my passport. "I get that a lot," I added, remembering even when I was thirteen, I was thought to be seventeen.

"Alright. Sorry Miss Sloane. Enjoy your flight to Seattle," she answered, smiling that creepy smile that stewardesses always wore.

"I will. Thanks," I said, smiling before making a face as I boarded the plane.

The next few hours passed slowly, my mind numbing as I zoned out enough to block out the sounds of the crying baby in front of me and the obnoxious comments of the man next to me, who, like the stewardess, thought I was older than I really was. When we finally landed, I nearly sprinted out of the gate and down the stairs to get my bags. I stood around the trolley, the bags moving slowly, and tapped my foot to the beat of the song I had stuck in my head. When my bags finally came around (after what seemed like an hour), I pulled them off, one of them rolling over my toe (no surprise there), and headed towards where I was supposed to be picked up. I saw a sign with "Brynn" written on it and I raced over to the familiar but older looking man I'd known for many years now.

"John!" I yelped, hugging the man, who had the surprised look of a father seeing his daughter all grown up on his face, which pretty much was the way he saw me.

"My God, Brynn! You're so grown up," he noted, looking me straight in the eye, our line of sight at the exact same height.

"Yeah, yeah. I know," I said, waving off his comment.

"I'm so sorry that your father couldn't be here to pick you up. He has a meeting until late tonight, so I'll give you my cell number just in case you need anything," John explained, grabbing my bags and pulling them out to the Mercedes waiting outside. I wasn't surprised to hear that my dad wasn't there to pick me up. It was always this way.

My father had become successful by working for a highly recognized law firm in Seattle and was ridiculously busy all the time, which was both a blessing and a curse. Whenever I came to visit him, he was working on this case or going to this or that benefit so I never got much time with him. He had promised he'd try and turn down anything that kept him away from me too long, but I knew my father too well to think he would ever be anything other than a work horse.

John and I talked politely for part of the car ride, but after a while we both fell into silence, which was almost welcome after my flight. I hummed along to the music playing on the radio as I gazed out the window.

It was all just so _green_. South Jersey had never been like this. High, purple mountains stuck through the dark gray clouds as rain poured out of them on to the windshield. And strangely enough, despite the dark clouds, the rain, the music, and the sound of the car's engine propelling us forward, I felt peaceful. For the first time in quite a while, it was quiet.

John soon was pulling up to the driveway of Michael's, which winded only a short distance up to the garage, where my dad kept some forgotten workout machines and other collectibles. The house had white trimmed windows and weathered gray-brown cedar shingles that had lived through countless Washington rainstorms. Growing up, I always thought this house was too big for my dad since he was here all by himself, especially since he spent so much time in the city, but I guessed that it was now the perfect size. Maybe he had always hoped I would help fill up the space.

John helped me pull my multiple bags into the house through the rain, and once I was all settled in, he hugged me once more and left. I sighed, looking around at the never changing house. I went into the kitchen and rummaged around the drawers, checking to make sure everything was in the place it had been the last time I had been in the house, before I attempted at getting all of my things up into my room.

I pulled my bags up the stairs with great difficulty, seeing as I didn't, in fact, have the strength of a full grown man (even if I was as tall as one.) I finally managed them into my room, which, like the other rooms, hadn't changed. The walls were painted a soft blue and white trimmings ran along the edges of the walls. The furniture in the room was dark brown and modern looking, having been updated from the pink, super girly room I used to have in the house. My bed was large and covered in a white comforter with tiny, light blue and green leaves sprawling across it. I threw myself down on the leaves, forgetting how comfortable my mattress was, and soon drifted off to sleep.

When I woke up from my nap some time later, I slowly started putting away my clothes into the closet and dresser. After an hour of lazily sifting through my sweaters and the boxes that we had shipped before I flew out, I finally seemed to be settled in. I walked downstairs and noticed for the first time that it was now pitch black outside."Shit, I'm never going to be able to get to sleep_,_" I said out loud, sighing before popping into the kitchen. I cast my eyes through the pantry, searching for something to eat, before grabbing a box of cereal.

Sitting cross-legged on the couch, I flicked through the channels on TV and thumbed down my newsfeed on my phone, reading the statuses of people I would most likely never see again. It was still surreal to think this was my home now, even if it was only for the rest of the year. It'd probably hit me eventually that this was real life and that I wouldn't be hearing my mom's voice coming from downstairs in the morning, but Michael's. It would no longer be Ocean City High School that I'd be walking into, but Forks' very own high school waiting for me. Zoe and Mia wouldn't be sitting with me at lunch, but I would instead be making completely new friends… or at least I hoped I would.

After an hour or so, my ass dragged itself upstairs to start going through my drawers again, searching for something to wear on my first day. I finally decided on a navy and white striped sweater and dark skinny jeans that I planned on tucking into my tall riding boots. Once I had laid those over the white leather chair in the corner of my room, I sat on my bed, pulled out my battered copy of _Jitterbug Perfume_, and started reading at a random point, as I often did.

"_He excited her because he was as damned as she was, yet had no regrets." _I read that line for what seemed the thousandth time when I heard the front door slam and someone cursing out the rain.

"Dad?" I yelled, looking up from my book then jumping off my bed. I hurried down the stairs and saw him standing there, looking the same age as he did the last year and the year before that. My father always looked the same, even if his once black hair was now salt-and-peppered. He smiled, his movie star face crinkling around the mouth, making him look even younger.

"Brynn Sloane?! Oh my God, you've gotten so big!" Michael exclaimed, throwing his leather jacket down on his dark brown couch and opening his arms for a hug, which I gladly fell into. "My God, you're almost as tall as me," he pointed out, pulling away from the embrace and noticing the small difference in height between us.

"Yeah, I did grow a lot last summer," I explained, smiling and hugging him again. "So, Dad, how's work been?"

"Fine, thanks. I actually just got signed on to this huge case, so you won't be seeing me much these next few weeks," he said, smirking at me.

"Oh yeah? Then I can totally throw a rager here with a hundred of my closest friends, right?" I joked, smiling at him.

"Oh, yeah, that'd be just fine," Michael replied.

"Yay!" I exclaimed, laughing at our little joke. These were the moments I missed with my dad, and I'm glad we could share them more often now.

"So, Brynn, have you eaten yet?" he asked, walking into the kitchen to get his own dinner started.

"Yeah, Dad, I'm good. I ate on the plane too," I explained, sitting back down at the kitchen table.

"I thought you hated airplane food," Michael said, glancing at me while he placed his pizza in the oven.

"I do, sort of. It was actually alright this time around," I said, surprised that he remembered that insignificant piece of information about me. It was always hard to know what my dad paid attention to and what he didn't even acknowledge.

"Alright. Good. Well, tomorrow morning I have to be out the door by six so I probably won't see you until tomorrow night… Possibly," he continued, sitting across from me at the table.

"Oh, okay," I said, noting that it was probably best for the both of us if he just avoided me the next day. My nerves would be off the charts so he was lucky to be out of the house before I started to worry.

After some time, filled with small talk and then comfortable silence, Michael's pizza was ready and I was ready to finally get a good night's sleep, which, considering my nap earlier that day, may have been easier said than done. I washed my face, pressing a scalding hot towel to my skin and breathing in deeply as the steam forced the stress out of my pores. I rested the damp cloth on the sink's edge and looked at my reflection.

_I'm sure_.

I repeated the mantra which had been playing like a broken record in my mind for the past few months. I allowed my shoulders to sink and rolled my head in a circle, eyes closed. I had to remind myself that this was all going to be okay; that this is what I needed. This is where life needed me to be.

I climbed into bed and situated myself beneath the covers which had been absent for many, many months. Laying there in the silence, I breathed in and out slowly, trying to release the anxiety of starting over while taking in whatever good things were waiting for me in the future. I sounded like my mother.

"Breathe in the good," she would say, bound in her yoga clothes and seated on the sand. "Exhale the bad. Breathe so you can think, Brynny."

_Breathe so you can think, _I repeated, hands covering my eyes as I let out an extended sigh. My hands then ran back through my hair, each strand lacing its way around my fingers for a brief moment before my hands fell to my sides. _It's all going to be okay. New is good. Different is okay. This is where you need to be. _With that last thought, I allowed my eyes to slide shut and I fell into a deep slumber.

**. . .**

The next morning I woke up at 6:30 and acknowledged that my dad was, in fact, already gone. I searched through the cabinets and made myself some oatmeal, then absent mindedly munched on an apple as I watched the news.

After getting dressed in the outfit I had chosen the night before, I ran a straightener over the waves that had made an appearance over night. A little bit of eyeshadow, a flick of black eyeliner, and a swipe of stain on my lips later, I was ready for the day. I checked myself in the mirror once more before grabbed my khaki-colored trench, red scarf, and bag before heading downstairs.

I grabbed the keys to the car that my dad had given to me (after some protestation on my side), since he drove with Jonathan more often than not. This didn't stop me from feeling guilty for all the things my father was giving me without a second thought, but I supposed it was best to be grateful than harp on his generosity. The engine roared to life when I turned the key and after I ran my hands over the leather of the steering wheel and the metal of the insignia, I backed out of the driveway and sped towards my new life.

As I pulled into the school parking lot, I got quite a few looks from other students. My car certainly didn't fit in among the trucks and Jeeps that filled the spaces, and I could feel myself awkwardly creeping my car along slowly until I found my way into a small spot towards the rear of the lot.

After cutting the engine and sliding out of my car, I stared up at the brick exterior of Forks High School, with its many white paned windows looking back at me. _Here goes nothing_, I thought as I tugged my jacket tight around my body, and walked out into the light rain. Again I received a wave of stares, but not for my car.

I could only presume that this was because I was Mr. Big-Man-in- Town's prodigal daughter returned.

_Grand, _I thought sarcastically, frowning as I heard a car roar into the parking spot that was in front of me. It took me a second before I realized that the car I now faced was absolutely stunning. It was a black Audi, easily recognizable by the emblem on the grill. The windows were tinted to the point of almost complete darkness and the lithe curves and bends of the car made it look like something out of the future. I shook my head a couple times before turning away and heading to class, ridding my mind of the car. I walked into the small front office and saw a small, plump woman sitting behind the counter, her platinum blonde hair pulled back in a bun on top of her head.

"Hi, my name is Brynn Sloane," I greeted her, "I just moved here to live with my dad and I-"

"Oh! You're Michael's daughter! My husband works with your father. I'm Ms. Livingston."

"Oh, cool. Awesome. Nice to meet you. Uh, so is there anything I need to do today? I know I need to pick up my schedule here and stuff but I wasn't sure if I needed anything else," I told her.

"Oh, okay, dear. Here's your schedule and your book list, and I'm going to give you a piece of paper that I want your teachers to sign. Just return it be the end of the day, alright?" she replied. She seemed like a sweet woman, especially compared to some of the harpies that had worked in my old school's guidance department.

"Okay, I'll be sure to do that."

"Have a nice day then!"

Once I had finally found my first class of the day, about five minutes after the bell rang, I awkwardly found my way up to the teacher, jacket slung over my arm. I introduced myself to him and he, thank God, didn't make me stand in front of the class. I took a seat next to a girl with super curly, dark brown hair. She glanced up at me, seeing as my head was a good height above hers, and smiled.

"You're Michael Sloane's daughter, Brynn, right?" she asked in a higher pitched voice.

I'd have to get used to that being my first impression. "Yeah, that's me."

"Well, nice to meet you," she replied, "My name is Anna DeMaria."

"Oh, nice to meet you too, Anna. So, where are we in this class?" I asked, the nerd in me climbing out of the depths as it always did.

"We were going to start Macbeth soon, I think."

"Macbeth? I read that in sophomore year," I explained, slightly taken aback.

"Well, yeah, we don't move that quickly here," she told me, almost sounding offended, which I guess she had every right to be. I just didn't understand how two school's curriculums could be so different that I was learning in my second year of high school what these kids were learning their senior year.

"Oh." I was silent most of the class, Anna filling in the empty space with her endless quips and gossip about the school. She reminded me a lot of Mia, but Mia I could deal with without losing my patience. Eventually the class ended, and I found out at that point that I had almost the same schedule as Anna. Awesome. I followed her to our math classroom and introduced myself to the teacher once more. She, unlike the previous teacher, made me introduce myself, and I noticed the looks many of the guys in the class gave me as I stood there, nervously giving out my details. The teacher, Mrs. Fuller, told me to sit next to a blonde boy who had a thin face and a smile on his lips.

"Hey, I'm Matt Flagler," he said in a low voice that reminded me of my dad's.

"Hi. Brynn," I replied, distracted as I pulled out my calculator and notebook from my bag.

"So...You're from Jersey? Like the Jersey Shore?" Matt asked, laughing slightly.

"I mean… I'm _from _the shore, but that's about all I have in common with that show," I replied, thanking my lucky stars that this was true.

"Yeah, the lack of tan makes me believe you," he responded. He then asked me about why I had moved out with my dad for the year, and how I was liking Forks so far. The conversation continued on and on, and made me realize that Matt was a lot like Anna and I thought how absolutely, annoyingly perfect they would be for each other.

The day dragged on in the same fashion until lunch, where I sat with Anna, Matt, and the rest of their friends. A glaring alert popped into my head as I sat down to the circular table: was I one of the popular kids in school? Had it really been as easy as walking into the right classes with the right people to earn myself such an illustrious spot? As I settled into this realization, I met a few other kids, like Kristen, a bubbly blonde with a sunny face, who reminded me of Zoe because of her somewhat ditsy mannerisms. At least I had someone I could connect with. I also met her boyfriend, Tom, who, unlike Kristen, was quiet and shy. Other kids talked to me and I actually felt at home among all these strangers.

As I ate my lunch, consisting of a salad and iced tea, I glanced around the room, bouncing from each table on to the next until my eyes fell on a table near the back doors.

I could feel my eyebrows reach towards my hair.

Sitting at the small, circular table were quite possibly the most beautiful people I had ever seen in my life. While every one of them had skin just a shade paler than mine, which may have suggested that they were all related, they all looked... different.

One of the two girls had long, deep chestnut-colored hair that curled at the middle of her back. She had dainty features and perfectly thick eyebrows that showed her every emotion as she spoke to the guy to her left. He was the definition of a movie star heartthrob, his curly, dirty blonde hair sticking out above his classically-featured face. The other girl at the table had slightly lighter hair than mine, and looked like… Not a Barbie, but something far more beautiful. Something you see in a museum. Her beauty almost made me uncomfortable; She was _too _perfect. Beside her, with his arm around her shoulders, was almost her male opposite. Where she was lithe, light-haired and aggressively feminine, this guy had to be twice her width and nearly a foot taller, with dark, wavy hair that he pushed up at the front with his free hand. He had a jawline set in stone and I was almost entirely sure that he didn't belong in high school.

If I hadn't been staring by then, I was almost transfixed by the final person in the group. He was resting his elbows against the table, ignoring his food and watching the others talk. His short, rich, chocolate-colored hair was in a state of slight disarray above his glorious face, which was really the only way to describe it. Shit, it was downright _godly_, save for the signs of exhaustion that marked it. He shifted his wonderfully wide shoulders that were hidden beneath a gray henley before rubbing the back of his neck. He continued to look at the small brunette with long-lashed, nearly pitch black eyes.

"Who are _they_?" I questioned Anna, whispering in her ear and pointing discreetly at the beautiful table.

"Who?" She paused before noticing my line of sight. "Oh, _them_. Those are the Woods," Anna replied, also eyeing the table. "The blonde is named Gwen, and the brunette is Ella. Then the guys are Frank, Terry, and of course, _Adam_," she said dreamily, seeming to fade into a dreamland where Adam's face was plastered on each passing cloud.

"Adam is the one with the light brown hair, right?" I asked, sneaking another glance.

"Yep. But I wouldn't try anything with him. He apparently doesn't find us normal folk all that appealing, unlike his sisters," she said, sniffling.

"Wait. Wait." My brain seemed to lurch to a halt for a moment. "They're _related_?" I asked, staring at her with wide eyes.

"Well, not really. They're all adopted. Frank and Gwen's actual last name is Hunt, but their parents changed all their names. Their father is a doctor here in town and their mom stays at home. The weird thing is, they're, like… _Together_. Ella and Frank, and Gwen and Terry. It's so strange. I mean, they live in the same house… How does that work out?"

"Oh. Uh. Well then," I said, looking sideways at the table again, regretting it instantly. When I did look, I was caught by the fierce black eyes of Adam, who had a look on his face of great confusion. _What did I do now?_ I asked myself, looking back at my table before I got lost in his eyes.

I saw one of the girls, the small one, get up and throw out her untouched lunch and Adam followed her lead. Actually, now that I really thought about it, none of them had looked as if they had bothered with their food the entire period.

Lunch was over soon enough and I followed Matt to our next class, the one class I didn't have with Anna. When I got there, I introduced myself to the teacher, Mr. Barbato, a balding, tall man, and then stood like an idiot while he pointed me to a seat. A seat right next to Adam Wood. Just my luck.

I nervously walked over to the table and sat down at the empty seat to his right and noticed the look he gave me. His black eyes looked me up and down before facing forward, his body ramrod straight in his chair. I saw his hand clench into a fist on the table and flinched.

He wouldn't hit me. _He doesn't have a reason to, _I told myself, trying to rationalize the reaction. _Maybe he's having a bad day._

I sat far from him, and he mirrored my action. I watched his jaw clench and release again and again throughout the class, making me nervous. Why did this have to happen to me? I couldn't have the most beautiful man on this earth repulsed by my very presence! As if I had done anything to deserve it.

The class ended before I realized time had passed and just as I stood up, Adam flashed out of the room, moving fast enough to be considered for the track team. Matt sauntered up to me with a puzzled look on his face.

"Did you stab Wood with your scissors or something?" he asked, raising his eyebrow.

"I didn't do anything. Does he ever act like that?" I asked, following him out of the classroom and to our last class of the day, gym.

"No, he usually is alright. I don't know what you did, but I wouldn't do it again," Matt advised.

"I didn't do anything!" I exclaimed, but for the rest of the walk I didn't say anything else about the little scene. I parted from Matt and headed into the locker room to get changed.

As I changed into my white tee and navy shorts, I couldn't help but notice that the girls around me were sending side glances in an effort to scope out the new girl in town, or at least that's what I thought. However, when I walked out of the locker room and into the gym, I got the feeling that the girls weren't so much scoping me out out of curiosity, but maybe because they were just vaguely jealous, something that was confirmed by the looks I got from the guys in class. Every time I decided to get involved in the slightest (I was never one for gym class), I could nearly feel twenty pairs of eyes following me.

_Seriously_?

Thankfully, that class ended just as quickly and I ran into the locker room, changed back into my clothes, and then sprinted to the front office where I stopped short.

Adam was leaning against the counter, talking to Ms. Livingston in a low, silky voice. Everything about him really was perfect―His voice was like listening to a flawless classical piece performed by the world's greatest orchestra. He stopped talking suddenly, stood straight and looked at me over his shoulder. He scowled and mumbled a goodbye to Ms. Livingston, who looked rather flustered. As he passed me, I realized that he was tall; much taller than six foot. My knees melted even further.

"Uh, Ms. Livingston? Here's that paper you wanted me to get signed," I said, carefully placing it on the counter in front of her blushing face.

"Oh, thank you, Brynn. I hope you had a wonderful day," she replied, straightening up in her chair, taking the slip and saying goodbye to me.

I walked out into the light rain and saw Adam racing into his car. Let me rephrase: his fucking piece of art. It was the Audi from earlier and I stood, gaping as his siblings joined him at the car. I should have known he would have a perfect car. It was a beautiful car for a beautiful guy―I should have guessed it the moment I saw him. I shook my head quickly, water falling off my jacket on to the ground, then quickly scurried over to my own car, opening the door and collapsing inside of it.

What a fucking day.

I drove home and found the house empty yet again, and was glad for it. A quiet space was just what my anxious mood needed.

Oh my God. Oh my _God_. I was in a new school, suddenly thrust into the spotlight where everyone was more than willing to watch my every move. I wasn't sure if the envy was good natured or if I would need to cover my ass more times than not this year, but I figured I wasn't the most hated person in school. Well, I guessed that Adam Wood was an exception to that rule for whatever strange reason, but his siblings didn't have a reason to hate me just yet.

I sat at the kitchen table, listening to music as torrents of rain poured down on the roof. I calmed my breathing as I became more focused on my homework, scribbling down notes for an outline that was going to be due in a few days for my history class. School was and always had been something easy for me, something that could distract me from anything that was rattling around in my mind. However, I wasn't so lucky to be loaded down with much of anything to do and so my mind wandered… To a certain black-eyed boy.

I shouldn't have been thinking about him at all, seeing as he apparently hated my guts, but I just couldn't. He was the kind of guy every girl wishes she'll see in her lifetime and I got to sit right next to him every day for the rest of the year.

The question was, was that a good thing?


	2. Changes

_Here we go again._

My second day at Forks High was much more normal than the first day had been. I knew where I was going most of the day and my new friends were actually turning out to be my saving grace. I also didn't get as many stares as I had the day before, since I imagined that I was no longer the shiny new student everyone wanted to talk about, though I did still catch the sideways glances of some of the girls and even a nod of what I guess was approval from a guy.

The most disappointing part of the day, however, was that Adam Wood was nowhere to be seen. When I arrived at the lunch room, I looked around the space and allowed my eyes to fall upon the rest of the Wood siblings, but only their beautiful brother was missing. I pouted slightly, not knowing why I did, and then sat next to Anna at our table. Kristen was overflowing with news of a shopping spree she was taking soon and she asked if Anna and I wanted to join her in going to Seattle. Anna groaned over her apparent desperation for new clothes, claiming she had absolutely nothing to wear any more (which I had to imagine wasn't true). Regardless, I agreed to go with them, grateful enough that I was being included so seamlessly into this group of people.

I glanced at the Woods once more and saw that the dark-haired sprite, Ella, was looking at me, her face with a thoughtful appearance. What was it with that family and their problem with me? I did nothing to them unless… _Shit, did my dad did do something, _I thought. No, he couldn't have. My dad was a truly nice guy, always fair in his lawsuits and friendly to his clients. I folded my arms across my chest, and stared down at my half eaten piece of pizza. Anna noticed my sullen look and snuck a look at the Wood table.

"Huh, I wonder why Adam isn't here. He's usually only gone on sunny days," Anna said, tilting her head in wonder.

"Why only on sunny days?" I asked, curious.

"Apparently the family is obsessed with hiking. They go into the Olympic mountains whenever it's sunny out. I swear to God, they're like the opposite of vampires–where there's sun, there's the Woods. They still manage to stay pale as hell, for whatever reason."

"Oh. That's… weird," I pointed out.

"Yeah, I know, but that's a rare occasion here in Forks so they usually get to grace us with their beauty." Anna sighed.

"Well, aren't we the lucky ones," Matt quipped from his seat, scowling slightly. It was becoming apparent that Matt did, in fact, have a bit of a crush on Anna and didn't appreciate her pining. Anna, of course, was oblivious to this fact and continued babbling on throughout the rest of lunch about this person and that teacher, which certainly helped me catch up on the school's news.

The next few days passed in the same fashion: Adam was nowhere to be found, the Beautiful Table occupied by the rest of his siblings. I started to contemplate that he'd dropped out of school to get away from me, but I knew that would be ridiculous. Maybe he was just sick – He had looked wiped out when I'd first seen him, with those dark circles under his eyes. Yes, that had to be it. Totally.

I woke the next Monday, dreary-eyed and flustered. I had had yet another restless night filled with thoughts of him. Yes, you guessed it.

Adam.

I didn't feel like straightening my hair and having washed it the night before, soft waves bounced around my face as I dragged myself into my car and drove off towards school.

Anna curled her finger around one wave as we leaned against her car hood, saying, "You should wear your hair like this more often. You look so..._beachy_." I thanked her, even though I liked my hair straight far more often, which was when I realized just how vapid I sounded. _Oh yes, my hair isn't perfectly perfect because I was up tossing and turning trying to figure out why a boy didn't like me. Jesus fucking Christ, woman, pull yourself together._ We then made our way through the busy courtyard when we saw the Woods, _all_ of them, goofing around in a corner.

There he was. Finally back after almost a week of pulling a disappearing act. But something about Adam was… Different. His face was less pale, the dark shadows under his eyes had receded and there was an actual smile on his face as he messed with his brothers and sisters through the courtyard. His smile was just as breathtaking as the rest of his features, his white teeth gleaming against the pink of his lips. Ella kicked a leftover puddle at him and he laughed, brushing the water off of his shirt and pants. I listened intently to his laugh, the sound of it much like his voice only ten times better. However the water drew attention to the clothes he was wearing. The clothes all of them were wearing. I may as well have been standing backstage at Fashion Week. I shook my head and looked back at Adam and realized the strangest thing about him: His eyes were no longer the color of onyx but more the shade of a dazzling sapphire.

Yes, sapphire. This strange, deep blue. I was confused. _Hadn't he had black eyes?_ I squeezed my eyes shut for a moment, thinking that maybe it was just a trick of the light but when I looked back at him, his eyes were the same shade of cobalt blue as he chased Ella around, splashing her back. I continued through the courtyard, following behind Anna and Matt as we neared our first class.

The day went on much like the ones that had preceded it until lunch time. Adam had joined his siblings at the table, his cheeks flushed and his brunette hair tousled in a way a hair stylist would work hours on to perfect. I couldn't help but stare at the table as I ate away at my granola and yogurt. To my surprise, Adam looked over at me and actually smiled. If I hadn't been sitting, I would have felt weak in the knees. He was just so gorgeous, so offensively beautiful, that it wanted to make me drool all over him like some obsessive fan girl.

_Speaking of drool_… I thought, wiping my mouth and frowning when I found that I was, in fact, salivating at the thought of him. Dammit. Well, he'd have to work to get me to like him… If I didn't already.

The next class I had was Chemistry, and as I entered with Matt, I was greeted by Adam's presence beside me for the first time in over a week. His hair had settled and looked fresh out of the salon, coffee-colored facets shining in the overhead fluorescent lights_. He really is perfect_, I thought as I pulled my hair over one of my shoulders, the curls near my cheeks bouncing around in front of my eyes. Adam looked at me then, his sapphire eyes burning into mine. But this time, instead of the hatred I had seen before, his eyes actually looked… well, friendly.

"Hi, my name is Adam Wood. I hadn't gotten a chance to introduce myself properly your first day," he said, his low, silky voice sending chills up my spine. _Hadn't gotten a chance? More like hadn't given me the time of day_, I grumbled internally but I answered him politely.

"Oh, hi, nice to meet you. My name's Brynn," I answered, smiling back but probably not having the same effect on him as he had on me.

He flashed back another quick smile before asking, "So, you're Michael Sloane's daughter, right? Do you like being here with your father?"

"Yeah. It's nice to finally be here with him for good, even if it's just for the year really," I said, speaking the half-truth.

"Why did you want to move here so suddenly though? I mean the school year already started and everything," he asked, leaning forward on the desk and looking more and more like a model out of a magazine by the millisecond.

"I-I needed a change of scenery. Ocean City was getting old, so I decided that living with my dad was a better option. I mean, at least for the time being before college starts," I explained, wondering why I was being so open with Adam even after having him ignore me for the past week.

"Oh… Well don't you miss your mother?" he questioned of me. He spoke so well, so differently from the incoherent grunts and obnoxious comments the boys from home had made.

"Yeah, I miss her… And my friends Zoe and Mia. They're my best friends, but it's hard trying to keep in touch with them."

"That's good that you're trying at least. Wouldn't want you feeling lonely here in Forks," Adam replied, smiling again – this time the sight made me feel light headed. The smile had reached his expressive blue eyes, and made the action seem genuine. He was turning out to be quite friendly...and, dare I say, charming. Was nothing wrong with him? I could forgive his previous behavior, seeing as he was probably not feeling well that first day, and I could go on to maybe… Know him? Become friends with him?

Possibly, in my wildest dreams, I would get to know him more than just a friend. I shivered at the thought.

"Well, I'm not too lonely. I have new friends here, which has been nice," I said, thinking of Anna, Matt, Kristen and Tom.

"I'm glad to hear it," Adam answered, smiling once more as the teacher started the class. I was completely dumbfounded by his new behavior but at the same time I was enjoying it thoroughly. As the class progressed, I found myself studying Adam's features: the height of his cheekbones, the fullness of his soft looking lips. The thing that continued to throw me for a loop were his eyes, the cobalt color interrupted by flecks of pure gold, as if they were sky in some great painting. The fierceness in them had me catching my breath, and even though he was probably only seventeen years old, his eyes seemed… Aged. Wise. Unlike any seventeen-year-olds eyes, not even mine. My mother had always said I was born in my twenties and grew older every year, always having been more mature than my peers. But Adam's eyes seemed like they had known and seen things I would never see in my life – Both terrible and exciting.

Without my realizing it, the bell rang, cueing the students to leave. I shook my head quickly and watched as Adam fluidly got up from the table, said goodbye to me, and whisked out of the room just as gracefully as his sister had.

"Well, Wood seems to be in a better mood," Matt commented, standing next to me and holding his books.

"Yeah, he does. I think he just wasn't feeling well the other day," I said, walking with Matt to gym class.

I ran out into the gym and started running laps around the square area, feeling the familiar jab in my ribs as I tried to regulate my breathing. I couldn't stand this kind of torture – running in circles was never my forte and I would much rather be swimming or attempting to hike, despite my tendency towards clumsiness. However, this clumsiness was, in fact, the reason I stumbled and caught my balance just as Kristen and Anna jogged past me.

"God I fucking hate laps," I grumbled, kneeling down to fix my lace that had come loose.

"I'll never understand you, Brynn. You're like this graceful gazelle, sprinting around the gym and yet you say you're completely unathletic. If it weren't for you fucking up sometimes, I'd have to say you're perfect," Kristen noted, tightening her ponytail as we fell into step with each other, walking the rest of the lap. I made a forced laugh sound and rolled my eyes, but I felt myself blush.

"I promise I'm a normal person," I assured her as we got into our groups.

Gym finally ended and I gathered my things, checked my makeup in the mirror then headed out into the parking lot, thanking my lucky stars that it was the last class of the day. The clouds had held up all day, not letting rain escape from them.

I walked up to my car and saw the vehicle parked next to it. A black Audi. With Adam Wood leaning on it. I sighed heavily as I opened the door.

"Wait, Brynn!" Adam exclaimed, suddenly appearing right next to my window. He rested his hand on the top of my car, leaning ever so slightly towards me so that I was standing between him and my open door. "I was wondering maybe if you could ask your father something for me. My dad needed to ask him about something having to do with a medical case. If you could tell him James needs some help and would appreciate a call from him, that would be amazing," Adam explained, his cool, minty breath making me dizzy.

"Uh, yeah, sure. I can do that for you," I agreed, smiling at him,

"Fantastic," he said, pulling out a small, white card. A number was written in a shiny silver font, impeccably designed. I took the card from Adam and inspected it before looking back up at him, taken aback by his sheer beauty.

"Okay, I'll be sure to give this to Michael," I replied, pocketing the card and smiling.

"Great, and that's our house telephone. Your father will be able to reach the hospital with his own contacts."

"Oh, okay. Well, I'll see you around?" I said, fiddling with my keys in my hand.

Adam nodded, smiling at me then pacing over to his driver seat. I looked at him as he climbed into the driver's seat and the roaring that came from its engine put mine to shame as it zoomed out of the parking lot before I even had a chance to put my car in reverse.

Driving home I started to think. I had Adam Wood's phone number. His actual phone number and … Wow, cue the inner squeal of pure happiness. Oh my God. I actually had it and he had given it to me. Well, it was supposed to be for my father but in a way… I started to believe in the back of my mind that it was actually meant for me to use. No, I couldn't think like that. He was just doing a favor for his dad. He was just giving my dad his father's number.

I had to calm down. It was nothing important, nothing groundbreaking. Just the phone number of a gorgeous guy.

Once I was inside, I laid the card on the glass countertop in the kitchen and left it there for my father to find along with a note describing the details. I sat at the table, scrolling through the playlists on my iPod and finally deciding on one. I pulled out my homework, a light load that night, and finished quickly. With nothing else to do but wander around my father's large house, I went into the living room, flung myself down on the couch and turned the TV on.

_Mindless television should take my mind off of him_, I thought, smirking at the ridiculous situations that found their way into televised dramas. I sat like that for what seemed quite a long time and finally at seven o'clock, I hauled myself back off the couch and into the kitchen to cook dinner. I found some chicken and lettuce, so I started to make a chicken Caesar salad. The smell of the chicken cooking filled my nostrils and I closed my eyes, taking in the smells of the kitchen. I tossed the salad soon after and set the table for one, placing a plate for my dad in the fridge. I sat, eating and listening to the faint pitter-patter of the rain on the roof.

When I was finished my dinner, I washed the pans and placed my plate into the dishwasher. Wiping my wet hands on my dark jeans, I walked up the stairs and into my bedroom to continue reading _Jitterbug Perfume_. As I read the last few lines of a chapter, I felt my eyelids grow heavy and soon I drifted off to sleep. I didn't even know how early or late it was ‒ all I knew was that the day had shaped up far better than I ever expected.

Waking up was nearly impossible the next morning, since I had slept so deeply. I couldn't be bothered with my hair, so once again it laid in looser curls along the bottom. I hastily put on my makeup, almost stabbing myself in the eye with my mascara, and then chose my cream-colored sweater and my battered boat shoes before tossing on a navy gingham infinity scarf. Michael was already gone when I came down the stairs and I was finally getting used to the fact that I would probably never see him in the morning or the nights. Living with him was almost like living by myself. I ate my breakfast as I watched CNN on the TV in the kitchen. I threw my bowl into the sink, telling myself to clean it when I got home, grabbed my keys, and headed off to school for yet another day.

I pulled into the space beside Anna's old Jeep Cherokee and turned off the engine. I yawned as I climbed out of my car before realizing that it had gotten quite a bit colder overnight than I had expected, and that the clouds above had deposited quite the amount of puddles on the ground the night before. I grumbled at the thought of the approaching winter, since I considered winter to be the most godforsaken season, as I began sifting through my bag on the hood of my car, in search of my first class' notebook and headphones.

As the lyrics to a Head and the Heart song waltzed their way into my ears, I glanced across the parking lot and my eyes were captured by the gaze of a certain tall, gloriously handsome boy. His strange sapphire eyes were inspecting me closely, making me look down at myself. I didn't see anything unusual about me today-I looked the same as I did every day. I wiped at my face, making sure I didn't have any marks on it, but I found nothing opposing. Why would he stare at me like that? It wasn't like I was anything compared to the sheer beauty of his siblings. But then again… _No Brynn, stop thinking like that,_ I told myself.

While I had an internal conversation with myself about the prospect of Adam actually checking me out, I was completely unaware of the large pickup truck that had taken the wrong turn on a large puddle and was now careening towards me and my car, about to make scrap metal out of the both of us. Out of my peripheral, I saw the silver flash of the truck and found myself planted in the spot I stood, unable to move out of pure fear. What happened in the next few seconds seemed to occur in slow motion as I watched with unblinking eyes.

In the first second, all I could hear was the screeching of brakes and tires against pavement. The next second, I felt myself being pushed to the ground, my hands scraping against the asphalt as I caught myself. When I looked up the next second, I was greeted by the face of Adam Wood, looking down at me for all of another split second before he struck his arm out and I watched as the side of the truck buckled in as if slammed with a sledge- hammer. I screamed out of instinct, expecting the truck to continue on its predestined path and curled into Adam's shoulder with my eyes squeezed tightly shut. Rather than slamming into the both of us, the truck did indeed stop short in its tracks and I felt Adam lace his arm around my waist as he whispered into my ear.

"Brynn? Are you alright? Are you hurt?" he asked quickly in a low voice. He gingerly lifted my arm over his shoulders so he could help me stand up. I figured I might have smacked my head on the way down, but I was in too much shock to notice if anything was wrong. I was alive, so that was enough for me.

"Y-yeah… I think I'm okay. Adam, how the hell did you-" I started before being cut short by a rush of students and school officials, who were all frantically asking questions and soon I felt his arm unwrap itself from my waist as he stood back from the circus that had gathered. The eyes of those around me continue to wander over my body to check for any bumps or scratches or, you know, anything fatal seeing as I was supposed to be in the middle of a car sandwich at that moment. They asked me the same question that Adam had and I answered in the same plain tone, my eyes still locked on him as he sat with his face in his hands on the sidewalk beside his car. How could he have done that? It was inhumanly possible that he could have bent a car and saved me in what could have only been five seconds. First of all, no one could have bent that truck the way it was without using a machine and secondly, it all happened so quickly._ It's just physically impossible,_ I thought to myself as I was escorted to the nurse's office to be checked out. I had scrapes on the palms of my hands and a little bit of a headache from hitting the side of my car on the way down, but otherwise I was fine, just like I had told them. The nurse insisted that I rest for a while, and until I laid down, I appeared to be unaware of how physically tiring fear could be. However, the minute my head hit the pillow, I was out for what must have been an entire class period.

I opened my eyes and while my pulse had slowed, the shock was harder to sleep off. I listened in a haze as I was told to take a couple of Advil for my head and given ointment for my hands. When I walked back out of the nurse's office, I saw Anna running towards me, arms outstretched, before she pulled me into a surprisingly tight hug.

"Oh, my God Brynn! I thought you were dead for second there! Thank God that Adam got you out of there so quickly!" She rambled on, but I only heard those first three sentences before the rest were blanked out by the thought of Adam.

How had he done it? It wasn't like I wasn't extremely grateful that he had saved me, but the way he had saved me was more than impossible. I found myself shaking my head repeatedly throughout the day, trying to make sense of my rescue. I could shake the uneasy feeling that had taken over body, a feeling that was telling me that I deserved an explanation… That Adam had quite a lot of explaining to do. How I was supposed to start that conversation seemed much easier said than done, but as I sat beside Adam in Chemistry later that day in complete silence, I tried my best at thinking of a reason why Adam was able to save me, how he could have pushed me out of the way.

Talk about sweeping a girl off her feet.


	3. Questions

When I got home that afternoon, I realized that I had a panicked voicemail from Michael, asking if I was okay and telling me to call him. I sighed before dialing, dreading the barrage of questions that were just going to be echoes of all that I had been asked throughout the day. I talked my dad down, promised him that I was okay and concussion-less, and that, no, transferring to a private school wouldn't keep me from getting hit by rogue cars. Once I convinced him that all was fine with me, as shaken up as I still was about the whole thing, he told me he'd be home late and said there was money on the counter so I could order pizza or something.

Fortunately, I didn't really have any homework that night, so I plopped down on the couch and held my head in my hands for a few moments. I still hadn't come to terms with my unorthodox rescue. None of the facts added up, the more and more I thought through the whole scene.

Adam had been standing across the parking lot, so there was no way he could have been beside me in the five seconds it took for it all to happen. I thought of the huge dent in the side of Ben Halliday's truck and how he had rushed as many apologies as possible while I was taken to the nurse. That was going to cost him a pretty penny… Or maybe he should have sent the bill over to the Wood residence. I had watched Adam strong arm his way through the metal as if it were plastic, and no amount of weight lifting could begin to explain that.

I got up from the couch and walked over to the french doors that opened up to the forest behind my dad's house. I stared out at the seemingly endless green landscape and grey clouds that were now spilling out tiny drops of rain on to Forks. I tapped the glass with my bent forefinger and watched as the glass fogged under my breath.

My thoughts were flying through my head so quickly that it was difficult to even hang on to one long enough to fully form an idea. There were just so many questions that I needed to ask but where the hell was I supposed to begin? I hadn't even fully processed what had happened ‒ how could I get any answers when the question were so ridiculous in and of themselves?

I sighed and turned away from the window just as my phone pinged beside me. I picked it up and was greeted by a text from Mia. It was then that I realized I hadn't been nearly good enough at staying in touch as I had meant to be. Whoops. _Are you alive? _was her question, and I could have laughed at the irony.

_Still alive, sorry I'm the worst, _I responded, _but Mia… I met this guy… _There were only so many words I could say that wouldn't give up my apprehension about Adam, but it felt weird to not say everything and anything to one of my best friends.

My phone rang almost immediately after the read receipt appeared on the screen. I picked it up and heard Mia's high, deceivingly innocent voice.

"Details. Right now," she demanded, and I could imagine her standing with her hand on her hip as if I were I standing there with her.

"_Well_…" I started. "Okay, his name is Adam. He's… He's perfect. Seriously. But… I don't know. He was really weird with me when we first met, and I didn't know if he hated me or liked me but now he's…" I grasped at the right words to say. How could I explain that he'd saved me from becoming roadkill without opening up a whole other can of worms? "He's really had a change of heart, as dumb as that sounds."

"When you say perfect…?" I could hear the question in her voice as I shifted my phone from one ear to the other.

"I mean he's six four with a swimmer's body, a smile that could blind you and blue eyes that could hold oceans. Sufficient enough?"

"Christ, Brynn, what are they feeding the guys out there? You have to send me a picture- wait, does he have a Facebook? Instagram? LinkedIn?" she asked, receiving a nervous laugh from me.

"To be honest, I hadn't checked. He doesn't come off as the kind of guy that would want all of his personal stuff out there." Now wasn't that the truth.

"Oh, so he's the mysterious type. Does he have a secret lair that he escapes to at the end of the day where he stares at his glistening pectorals?" Mia could be one of the funniest people I knew, and it made me miss her terribly.

"God, I wish you could be here with me for this," I told her, running a hand through my hair.

"Me too. I miss you. A lot. Zoe's been convinced that you've been missing in the woods the last month, and I was starting to believe her. When are you coming to visit?" I hadn't really given going back home much thought in the last couple weeks, since I had in fact been so busy getting adjusted. Mia's question made me actually wonder at when it would be that I'd see her and Zoe again.

"I guess I could shoot for spring break, even though that seems like forever away," I replied.

Mia groaned. "Ugh, that is forever away. Well don't be such a loser and text us some time. _Especially _if something happens with this Adam guy. Promise?"

"Promise. But I should probably start getting my dinner together. Love you babe," I said, and waited for her to return the sentiment before hanging up my phone. I plopped back down on the couch, allowing my phone to drop out of my hand onto the cushion beside me. Mia's observation really did get me thinking; Adam _was_ mysterious. He hadn't come up as a suggested friend when everyone in school began adding me. He flew under the radar of everyone's gossip. There were no stories of him getting drunk at a party or even causing any sort of trouble around school. Granted, more people were likely to talk about what his siblings had going on, but Adam appeared to be a blank canvas of sorts. My mind drew just as much of a blank when I tried to think of all the secrets Adam Wood must have had.

I held my head in my hands, staring down at the wooden floor and remained that way for quite some time. However, I knew I couldn't just sit there the entire night, and pulled myself up to my bedroom. As I clicked through my various tabs on my laptop, I noticed I had an email from my mom. While I had been texting her occasionally, I realized it must have been a week since I last talked to her. I really was out of it with keeping in touch.

_My beautiful girl,_

_ I can't tell you how much I miss you. I'm sure you're having a ton of fun getting to know everyone over there, and last I heard from your dad, everything's going well for you two, but I wish you could be here. Even Mark is missing you. I know it's easy to get caught up in everything, but just remember I lost my baby a year earlier than I thought, so give your old mom a call every now and then. _

_P.S. How are things going? Any new friends? Did you meet any cute guys over there? Without you here, I get much less gossip._

_Anyway, I love you Brynny and hope to hear from you soon. _

_Love you to the moon and back,_

_Mom_

My chest caught slightly. I hadn't really allowed myself to be homesick in the time I'd been in Forks. I was too focused on fitting in and avoiding making an idiot of myself in front of Adam, as silly as that sounded. I really had been missing my mom and how we used to sit on our couch and eat corn chips with salsa and flick through different books and magazines together. While completely aware that moving had been my choice, I did find myself missing home that day more than I had any other day. I replied to my mom's email quickly, telling her about Anna and Kristen and all my classes and different information like that. I did, however, forget to mention a certain brown haired, blue eyed boy and the fact that he had saved me certain death only eight hours earlier. I banked on my father's selective memory and prayed that he would forget to mention my little incident to my mom. I could just imagine her getting on the next plane to bring me home if she even thought I was in danger.

I closed my computer after that and grabbed _Jitterbug_ off the ground. I opened it to the last line I had read and continued on, being made to question the possibilities and pitfalls of immortality as I had been many times before. When I had finished a few chapters, it was dark out and my dad had called to tell me he had decided to spend the night in Seattle since he'd have to be back in the morning. I noted my lack of appetite, remembering to pocket the money Michael had given me for later, as I laid on my back. I stared at the ceiling, at the thin layer of dust that had gathered on my fan from disuse. After some time, I thought of my mom and how she always said she thought best when her head was clear. I began to imagine the ceiling in my mind, perfectly white and uncluttered. It was then that I felt my eyelids begin to droop until they finally slid closed.

I blinked and suddenly became very aware of my surroundings. I was staring up at the sky, which was shrouded by too-tall trees, and my fingers flexed into the mossy ground.

"Brynn, are you okay?" I heard a voice ask and when I looked up again, I realized that my head was rested on Adam's knees. He was using the tone just like he had used earlier that day, except there was no car coming for me in sight though my head was spinning with a heavy sense of vertigo.

"Wh-What happened?" I wondered as I slowly lifted my head from his lap. My vision was blurry as I glanced around us, but everything felt too green and too close.

"I'm sorry I surprised you like that. I should have known better."

"It's fine… Really," I convinced him, though I wasn't sure what I was forgiving him of doing.

"I probably should have explained myself. I know it's a lot to process." I became aware of the fact that he was playing with a piece of my hair and as I turned to assure him again that whatever he had done was fine, I found the same eyes I had looked into as I lay on the ground that morning. Except instead of letting go of my waist, he was leaning in towards me, his beautiful mouth turned up in a small smile. Just as I allowed my lids to slip closed, I heard car brakes screeching loud in my ears.

I shot up in my bed, breathing heavily, and held my hand to my chest. I looked around my room, where there was no Adam nor no car in sight. I covered my face with my hands and slowed my breathing.

Maybe I wasn't as okay as I thought I was. I'd probably hear that screech ringing in my ears for quite some time, regardless of the fact that I was perfectly alive and well. I'd also never be satisfied if I didn't get some answers out of Adam, because he sure as hell owed me an explanation. If my dream had told me anything, it was that he had much more to say than I could ever begin to ask.

I pushed off the duvet and padded over to the sliding door that led out to the small porch outside my room. With my forehead pressed against the cool glass, I trained my eyes on the deep blue horizon, which was obscured by tree and mountains in the distance. There was not much light to pollute the inky blackness of the night, and the only thing stood out was the pitch black of the treeline. It was the darkest sky I had ever seen. In the far off distance, however, I saw the faint light of day coming in from the high mountains. It must have been four in the morning, something confirmed as I glanced at the clock on the bedside table.

I crawled back into bed and covered my head with the sheets, huffing as I did. I really needed to get a good night's sleep but Adam _fucking_ Wood wasn't going to let me get one apparently. I punched my pillow a few times in an attempt to fluff it up then tried my best to close my eyes once more and tried not to focus on how kissable Adam's lips seemed to be.

. . .

Hard as I tried, I woke up thinking about his lips.

I was the stupidest girl I'd ever known.

Scurrying down my porch stairs with a granola bar in my hand, I tugged on the back of my tall, dark brown riding boots that always refused to stay up, despite my best efforts. Of course, I had woken up about 15 minutes later than I'd meant to, but I had managed to pull together some semblance of an outfit before heading off to school.

With my car parked in the school parking lot, I took a quick breath before opening my door and launching myself towards the sidewalk. I heard a chuckle from down the sidewalk and turned around to see Adam's eyes on me. A blush crawled up my cheeks as I made my way over to him.

"Still a bit skittish, aren't you?" he asked me once I was in earshot. He had on a navy and red striped sweater beneath a navy down vest. He was also wearing the same small smile that had been in my dream the night before, and my heart seemed to skip a beat.

Stupidest. Girl. Ever.

"Well, I did almost get crushed between two cars yesterday, so I think I have every right to be a little paranoid," I answered, looking up at him with my arm crossed in front of my chest. I was now very aware of the height difference between us, which was just another thing that made him infuriatingly perfect.

"Oh, well that is true," he answered, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm uh… I am glad that you're okay."

"Thanks…" I glanced away from his gaze. "You were a life saver. Seriously." All the toughness I wanted to muster seemed to have left my body in that moment and I became very aware of the fact that I was starting a conversation that I did not know how to finish with the guy whose lips I had been dreaming about only hours before. "Um, Adam... About yesterday…" I began, unfolding my arms and fiddling with the white shirt I had on beneath my navy sweater.

"What is it, Brynn?" he prompted, leaning down slightly to catch my eye.

"I need to talk to you about what happened," I told him. The slight smile on his face faded and his eyebrows furrowed.

"What would you want to know?" he questioned, leaning back against the hood of his car.

I sighed and looked down then back up to him. "I just need to get some things clear, but I don't want to do this right now." _Nor do I even know what I need to ask, _I admonished myself.

"Look, I don't know what you think happened but- "

"Adam, cut the shit." He seemed to be off put by my word choice. "We… We just need to talk some time, okay? I don't think you or I want to have this conversation in front of these people." It was then that I heard the first bell ring inside the building. "I have to get to class, but I guess I'll see you later?" Before he could see the blush that threatened to make its rosy presence known, I muttered a quick goodbye and walked down the pathway in the direction of the front doors. Anna had to jog slightly so she could fall into step with me once I was inside.

"What were you saying to Adam Wood?" she wondered in a voice that could have only been her best attempt at seeming uninterested. It didn't work at all.

"Nothing," I replied, adamant. I crossed my arms again and continued on towards our classroom. Anna scurried after me before tugging on my arm to make me stop.

"No, really, what did he say?" she asked again.

"Nothing. Seriously. I was just… Just thanking him for yesterday. That's all. I probably should have just kept my mouth shut, but it's… It's whatever." She looked as if she wanted to ask more, but restrained herself as we walked through the classroom doorway.

I was mad at myself for not having a better game plan, but then again I hadn't planned on seeing that glorious face of his this early in the morning. Keeping my mouth shut would have actually been a better idea for the time being, but I didn't seem to be chock full of good ideas these days. I was rapping my fingers against my desk, staring out the window into the grey mist, when I heard my name being called.

"Brynn…? Brynn…? Brynn!" Anna was standing next to me, shoving my shoulder.

"What?" I asked, looking back at her.

"Class is over," she told me, motioning to the empty classroom.

"Oh, sorry. I totally zoned out," I explained, standing up and shoving my books into my bag.

"I'd love to say you should get your head out of those Adam Wood- filled clouds, but I guess I'll just keep my mouth shut," she added, which afforded her a dirty look from me as we made our way to the next class.

At lunch, I glanced over at the table the Woods usually occupied out of a habit, but this time I found that Adam was looking right back at me. I looked away quickly and pretended to be thoroughly interested in the yogurt in front of me. After another minute or so I snuck a look over Tom's head. I noticed that Adam had just stolen the same glance before speaking to his brunette sister. Ella had been twirling her long, mahogany ponytail before she leaned toward Adam to say something in return.

_Oh God, _I realized, _they're talking about me. _

With a furrowed brow, I look back down at my lunch. Why did I have to look over? I should have known he'd talk to his siblings about what I said. God, why did I have to be so fucking nosy? I continued to pick at my food, hoping that no one noticed the blush on my face. I couldn't help but feel the eyes on the back of my head but after a moment I was suddenly aware that it was now my friends who were looking at me. I lifted my head and found the eyes of Anna, Kristen and the rest of the table, all of whom were staring not at me, but above me. I began to ask what they could possibly be looking at, but as I turned my head, my vision was obscured by the torso of one Mr. Wood. With widened eyes, I look up at Adam, who was wearing a small smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

"Hey Brynn. I was wondering if I could talk to you for a second... alone," he said, his eyes flashing up to look at the rest of the table before returning to hold my gaze.

"Uh…Yeah. Sure. Okay," I replied, getting up from the table awkwardly and following him out of the lunch room.

"So, you have those questions for me, right?" Adam asked of me once we were standing in the empty hallway. He was close to me – close enough that I had to tilt my head up to look him in the eye.

"Well, yes. I do." I answered with the feeling that this was now some sort of business meeting.

"And you're not going to the dance with anyone Friday?" he asked, and I was about to answer when I stopped and bit my lip.

"The dance?" I questioned, raising my eyebrows.

"Yes, there's a homecoming dance this Friday and I know that you don't have a date so I-," he started but I held up my hand.

"Wait. Are you asking me to the dance?" I asked, a bit shell shocked to say the least.

"Maybe I am. It could give me a chance to answer those questions for you," he suggested, shrugging those lovely, wide shoulders. It took all that was in me not to shout out an embarrassingly loud "Yes!" in response.

"Oh. Alright. I guess that's… Great. Cool." _Cool_? Fucking_ cool? _For fuck's sake, was I on drugs?

"Fantastic. Here, give me your number. I'll uh… I guess I'll text you later about it," he said, reaching into his pocket to hand me his sleek phone. Despite his natural charm and devastating good looks, it seemed as if this situation was new to Adam – as if the words weren't native to his mouth.

Once I had shakily added my number to his contacts, which seemed to be lacking in numbers, I managed a smile up in his direction. "So Friday?"

"Friday. I'll see you in class." With a warm smile, he left me standing in the hallway for a moment alone, where I revelled in my shock before walking back into the lunch room. My footsteps were slow as I made my way back to our table and saw that Adam had rejoined his brothers and sisters.

_Whoa_. _Adam fucking Wood just asked me if I'd go to a dance with him._

I shook my head quickly, taking my seat next to Kristen, who, along with Anna and the others at the table, was staring at me.

"What did Adam want?" Anna asked urgently, her light brown eyes wide. I blinked at her and then smiled.

"He asked if I'd go to the dance with him," I answered, tucking a blonde tendril behind my ear as I waited for their reactions.

Kristen and Anna gaped at me, mouths open, for what seemed like forever until we heard a laugh come from the Wood table. I looked over my shoulder and saw Adam chuckling at something while Ella and Gwen rolled their eyes towards one another. I looked to the other boys at the table and guessed at what Adam was laughing at, since Terry and Frank seemed to have decided to arm wrestle one another. I could only imagine the force that went into Terry slamming his brother's arm down on the table and causing the table to buckle slightly.

I turned back around from the scene and met the still shocked faces of my friends. "What?" I asked.

"Adam... Asked you to the dance?" Anna questioned in a low voice, her mouth slack in surprise.

"Well...Yeah," I replied, shrugging. What else was there to say? "I had no idea he was going to do it," I added, trying to defend myself. She shook her head quickly and closed her mouth. It certainly didn't feel like I had done anything wrong... Or maybe I had. If I remembered correctly, Adam had flat out shot down every girl in the town before I showed up, and now he was asking me to be his date? That's when I realized the waves of jealousy pouring towards me from Anna and the other girls at the table. Kristen seemed to be in just as much shock, despite how much she seemed to have loved Tom. This _was_ Adam we were talking about.

"Oh...okay," Anna said in her normal pitch, which then seemed to have been deflated. I felt uncomfortable the rest of the lunch period and when the bell finally rang, I was more than happy to shuffle out of there and to Chemistry.

I acknowledged the fact that Mr. Barbato had the white screen pulled down and thanked whatever god was up in the sky for the creation of the movie day. Taking my seat beside Adam, I noticed that his chair was moved ever so slightly closer to mine, and I had to count that as a personal accomplishment of sorts.

One week, he's dying to get away from me; the next, he's my date to Homecoming. This was my life.

When the lights went off in the room and the movie began to play, I leaned forward on our long desk and rested my chin in my palm. After some time, Adam mimicked the motion, which brought our arms within inches of one another's. Maybe it was pure giddiness or lack of sleep, but I could have sworn that I felt some kind of electricity between our skin. It was the kind of electricity that reminded you that you were alive and that there were more nerve endings in your body than stars in the sky.

I know I had meant to come off as tough and like I wouldn't take no for an answer from this mysterious boy, but at the end of the day, the facts were these: I was an average teenage girl and the school's most handsome guy had just asked me to a dance, and this was after saving me from certain danger.

I should have been allowed to be excited. I should have wanted to jump up and down and do a stupid, little dance.

All of those facts didn't mean that Adam didn't owe me an explanation, but he certainly did know how to sweeten a girl up.


	4. Truth

_Whoosh._

_Whoosh. _

_Whoosh._

I watched the white blades of my ceiling fan cut through the air as I sprawled out across my bed. The alarm on my phone had yet to go off, and the sky was just beginning to lighten, but I wanted to revel in my bed for a couple minutes more. I was in an unnaturally good mood that morning, having slept through the night without tossing and turning as I had the last few weeks, and I was happy to notice the lack of rain falling on the roof above me, since it had started to torrential downpour the night before. I also was imagining the type of dress I was going to search for that night, and bit my lip at the thought that I was, in fact, going to this dance with Adam.

What a strange week this was becoming.

As I shuffled down the stairs, buttoning the last small button of my hunter green blouse, there came noise from the kitchen. I had momentarily forgotten that my dad had actually come the night before. He wished me a good morning from behind the rim of his coffee mug, which I returned with a cheerful smile as I reached into one of the cabinets.

"You seem to be in a good mood," he commented, wiggling his tie a bit to loosen it around his neck.

I shrugged before pouring Cocoa Puffs into a bowl. "I guess you could say that. Just can't wait to go dress shopping," I said, smiling again. Then my smile faded slightly. I had forgotten to tell my dad that I was going to the dance. _Shit_.

"Dress shopping? For what?" my dad asked, sipping once more.

I hesitated. "Uh. For the homecoming dance on Friday. I'm shopping with Kristen and Anna."

"Oh okay. Are you taking anyone?" Michael asked in his most nonchalant voice, though I knew he had always wanted to play the part of the protective dad.

"Um… You know Dr. Wood? His son," I answered, looking down at the counter and distractedly spooning cereal into my mouth.

"The big one?" I watched the horror creep up in my father's eyes as he pictured me getting picked up by Terry. I scrambled to right the image.

"No, no, no!" I rushed out, "Not Terry‒Adam. I think you may have met him before," I told him.

"Oh. Thank God." A visible sigh of release escaped his chest. "I mean, they're all nice kids. I've done some business with their dad from time to time. You know, legal-slash-medical things," Michael vaguely explained, his hands motioning, to which I nodded in response. "Keep to themselves a bit but that should be fun for you. Adam's a uh… A real good looking kid."

I laughed nervously. "Yeah, he is. It should be a good time," I replied, trying my hardest just to finish the conversation before my dad could ask any more questions.

I finished off my breakfast then shoved my homework into my large, white purse. With a kiss on my dad's cheek and my keys in hand, I headed off to school.

The sky was gloriously lacking in rain to fall upon our heads, so Kristen, Anna, and I sat out on the benches in the courtyard, pulling our coats a little tighter against us as the late autumn breeze kicked up the leaves around us. I became rather interested in the swirling of said leaves when Anna's voice calling my name shook me out of my daze.

"Brynn? Brynn!" she waved her hand slightly as if to wipe my brain clean. "What time did you want to leave for shopping tonight?"

"I guess three could work, since I need to go home real quick and grab some extra bras to try with dresses. Do you guys just want to come by my place and we can drive in my car?" I offered, receiving enthusiastic nods from both girls, seeing as Kristen was still saving up for a car and Anna's Jeep was unreliable at best. With a quick smile, I turned my head just in time to see Adam's car pull into the lot and park right beside mine. He climbed out, rearranged his brown leather jacket, then proceeded to head towards the school. As he walked past, Adam nodded in my direction with a sheepish (albeit devastatingly sexy) smile and a quick wave before his brother Terry caught up with him and slung his muscular arm around Adam's neck, making like he was putting him in a choke hold as they walked through the door.

I giggled at the sight before the sound of someone clearing their throat came from beside me. I turned my head again and was greeted by the raised eyebrow of Anna.

"Okay, is there something that you're not telling us?" she asked, arms crossed over her chest.

"What do you mean?" I inquired, though I was pretty sure of what she must have been assuming.

"Well, between him asking you to Homecoming and the smiles and the waves and the general _heart eyes_… Are you guys talking or something? He's never acted like this before. _Ever_." I could hear the twinge of jealousy in her voice and while it was disheartening, it was also flattering to imagine that people were beginning to think we were dating. Even though we were miles and miles away from that point, I could sense the same feeling I had had the day before: that bubbly sensation in the pit of my stomach that made me want to break out into a smile as wide as Texas. I restrained myself from doing so as I answered Anna's accusation, but laughed in response.

"What? No! We sit next to each other in class is all," I explained, almost feeling as if I was telling a lie. "He's…. I don't know. He's just been really nice to me."

"Yeah, to you and no one else. I haven't seen him smile like that at anyone who didn't have the same last name as him." My cheeks flushed at her statement. "Scratch that ‒ I don't think he has looked at _anyone_ like that."

"Oh, come on, Anna. Brynn's just new to town and so was Adam for a year before that," Kristen defended me as we all walked into school, since the bell had gone off during Anna's observation. "He probably is just doing what any guy would do when a new girl comes to town, no offense to you, Brynn," she added quickly, shooting me a quick, guilty smile.

"I don't know what to tell you guys, honestly. I'm just as confused about him as you are," I explained before we all went our separate ways to the first class of the day.

The day proceeded slowly, with each minute ticking by like drops falling from a slowly leaking sink.

_Drip, drip, drip. _

_Tick, tick, tick. _

I knew that time had a bad habit of slowing down when all you wanted it to do was speedup, so I tried my hardest to stay focused on the matters at hand. Unfortunately, it started to feel as though this day had one hour too many and I found myself drifting off during my math class.

The bell pulled me abruptly out of my daydream, which featured a certain pair of blue eyes. As I packed up my things, I couldn't help but be a little concerned about the level of education I was receiving, since my teacher had failed to acknowledge my little cat nap. With a shake of the head, I made my way towards the lunchroom, head down as I scrolled through my phone. I had been texting Mia most of the morning about my recent life development, which earned me a response riddled with capitals and exclamation points. I was just talking to her about what stores I should go to when I ran solidly into Kristen's boyfriend at the front of the cafeteria.

"Good to see you too, Brynn" Tom said as we righted ourselves, his brow furrowed above his light hazel eyes. I could definitely see why Kristen would date Tom, though he was not necessarily my type. He wasn't bad looking but was maybe just a little too hipster for my taste. As if to prove a point, he rearranged the horn-rimmed glasses on his nose.

I rushed out an apology and pocketed my phone. "I should have been looking where I was going ‒ That was totally my fault."

Tom laughed it off as Kristen walked up. "It's seriously fine. Just keep your head up." His tiny girlfriend cocked her head to the side, having missed our little mishap, but had her own small remark to make regardless.

"Maybe she'd pay attention if she wasn't daydreaming about her _boyfriend_," Kristen teased in a sing-songy voice, causing me to blanche.

"Boyfriend?" wondered Tom, looking from Kristen to me with raised eyebrows. "Since when?"

"_No one_ is my boyfriend," I answered, sending a scathing look in the direction of my friend. "Kristen and Anna have this fantastical theory that Adam Wood and I are now suddenly dating, which is the furthest thing from the truth."

"Yeah, okay. Tell that to to the stars in your eyes," Kristen replied as we walked into the lunch room. I blushed and cast my starry eyes in the direction of Adam and the other Woods, and found that Adam was concentrating on his own hands as if the meaning of life was inscribed into the lines on his palms. He then looked up and met my eyes, his mouth tugging into a small smile, though his brow remained furrowed in thought. I prayed to whatever God there was that he hadn't overheard Kristen's comment.

Once lunch was over, Matt and I strolled down the hallway towards Chemistry. Matt reminded me of an excitable yellow labrador sometimes, with his quick smile and broad gestures. I knew he meant well, because he was a pretty nice guy, but I could also tell that a part of him harbored a tiny crush on me. It was most likely the "New Girl" appeal, and while it was flattering, I was acutely aware of Anna's developing crush on Matt. It was probably in my best interests to firmly drive home the fact that I wasn't interested. To help my cause, I asked Matt about the dance.

"Ah, I don't know. I was thinking of girls I could ask, but I'm not really sure," he replied, motioning towards the general collective of girls walking past us before pocketing his hand.

"You know who doesn't have a date yet? Anna," I suggested in a casual tone.

"Really? Huh…" Matt answered thoughtfully. I could have sworn I heard the cogs start turning in his brain as he mulled it over. Guys can be so oblivious when it comes to girls who are actually interested in them. "I hadn't thought to ask her but… Yeah. Maybe," he said while we walked through the classroom door. I encouraged him one more time as if to really drive home the point that Anna was the best option and I was off the table before taking my seat beside Adam. Just as I did, he looked up from his phone and smiled at me.

"That's a nice color on you," he commented on what I assumed was my shirt before I noticed that he was wearing a henley that was the same shade of green. I laughed nervously and tucked a tendril of hair behind my ear. No wonder people thought that we were somehow an item; we were matching for fuck's sake. I tried to think of something to say in response.

"Wow." Another nervous laugh. _Smooth, Brynn_. "Great minds must dress alike, I guess," I speculated. _Please God, grant me a selective memory so I can pretend that I didn't just say that. _I smiled shyly at that glorious face of his before Mr. Barbato walked past and placed two papers on the desk before us. I furrowed my eyebrows for a moment before realizing it was the test we had taken a week earlier.

"I see the two smartest students are sitting together," our teacher commented, awarding us with his vaguely awkward smile before returning to the front of the class. A slightly deeper shade of pink added itself to the blush already present on my face and I smiled nervously. I was kind of used to receiving good grades, but I hated to have it pointed out. I did acknowledge, however, that Adam nonchalantly took the paper and slid it into his bag without a change in expression whatsoever. Part of me had almost been hoping he wasn't a good student, considering everything else he had going for him; lo and behold, he appeared to also be an A student. _Is there anything about him that isn't perfect? _I questioned mentally before looking over the problem sets, noting the small errors I made that earned me a less than perfect score.

The rest of the class was spent going over the problems that many people had gotten wrong, so both myself and Adam found ourselves with not much to do. I pulled my phone out under our desk to check my messages from Mia, who had suggested buying lingerie from a ridiculously over priced store in preparation for the dance. I responded with an embarrassed emoji, praying that Adam hadn't seen the message from beside me. I chanced a glance at him, and saw that his lips were pulled into the tiniest smile while he looked out the window. I couldn't help but think that possibly he had seen the message out of the corner of his eye, which made me want to sink into a hole that would hopefully open up beneath me.

The bell finally rang and I was surprised that Adam did not bolt out of the class as he usually did, but instead stood, stretched his arms in front him, and with a quick but charming smile, murmured "See you," to me before strolling out of the classroom. My eyes followed him out the door, my mouth the slightest bit slack. It would take a lifetime to get used to that boy.

I changed quickly into my gym clothes before heading out into the gym, where I set a quick pace around the room; I used the laps as a chance to think. While I was still fervently curious as to how Adam had managed to save my life just a week before, Adam's benignly sweet actions had made it all the more difficult to pretend like I wasn't excited about spending the night out with him. I wish I could have remained resilient and tough and acted as if I didn't have hearts in my eyes over this boy, but that seemed to be a blatant lie. Of course I was excited about the dance. Of course I was excited that he threw smiles in my direction. _But hell's bells, Brynn, the guy still has to explain how he pushed a car like it was a piece of plastic, _I reminded myself.

With a furrowed brow, I continued to think of how the night would play out. In the meantime, I had failed to notice that my lace had come undone and completely tripped over myself. By the grace of some mystical being, I managed to catch myself from falling flat on my face, but instead scraped my knee across the waxed wooden floor.

"Shit!" I exclaimed, my face flushing pink from embarrassment as I clapped my hand over my mouth; as if that would bring the word back from the air. My sudden curse attracted the attention of the gym teacher.

"Brynn, are you okay?" Mr. Parker asked, helping me up from my kneeling position. With burning cheeks, I responded.

"Yeah, I just fell. I'm sure I'm fine." It was then that I looked down and noticed that my knee seemed to be threatening to release droplets of blood. I groaned at the injury. "Actually, may I go to the nurse? I asked, exasperated.

"Yeah, sure," he replied, jogging to his office near the locker rooms to write me a hall pass. I limped my way out, stopping by the bathroom to grab something to wipe the tiny amount of blood off my leg. I huffed as I made my way towards the cozy little nurse's office._ Maybe you should stop thinking about Adam so much―Maybe then you wouldn't end up in these kinds of situations, _I scolded myself before reaching for the door, pulling it open quickly before walking directly into a rock solid body. All the blood that had rushed to my face in the gymnasium now flooded away from my cheeks when I looked up and found Mr. Thought Consumer himself looking back down at me.

"Oh! Oh my God. Adam. I am _so _sorry," I apologized, tucking a piece of hair that had fallen out of my ponytail behind my ear. He seemed to be as startled as I was, but looked far less flustered.

"No, no―you're fine," he replied, pushing the sleeves of his shirt up his arms. "Are you okay?" His question was punctuated with a head nod in the direction of the balled up tissue I had in my hand, which was stained light red.

"Oh, yeah. It's nothing big. I just tripped in gym and scraped my knee. What are you doing here?" I questioned, leaning down slightly to tap my leg once more to see if any more blood would appear; the tissue came up with negative results.

"Well, I have health class after Chemistry and we were supposed to do blood types today but I… _Really_ can't be around blood, so she let me have the period off," Adam explained, rubbing the back of his neck. In reaction, I tightly clasped the offending tissue into my hand. "But anyway, don't let me hold you up if you were on your way to the nurse."

"No, I mean..." I lifted my leg up behind me so I could see if it hurt to bend or not. When the sting was hardly anything of note, I continued, "I actually think I'm fine. I guess coming here was useless," I sighed, frowning at the thought of having to go back to gym.

"Not completely. You managed to get out of class, didn't you?"

"Wow, I never would have pegged you as the type to skip class," I told him honestly. Adam laughed and my heart melted ever so slightly.

"You're not wrong to assume, because I'm usually not. It's just nice when I get a chance to," he said, his lips pulling up into what could only be described as a mischievous smile. God, I was so screwed.

"Alright, I see what you mean. So, what do you do with all this time to yourself?" I asked, throwing the balled up tissue into the trashcan beside the office door.

Adam looked both ways down the halls then down at me. "My best option is to sit right here and wait for the bell to ring." With that he went to lockers across the way and slid down until he was seated on the tiled floor. It was so interesting to see him acting so… Uninhibited. I joined him with my back leaning against the cool metal of the locker.

"So… You don't like blood?" I asked, trying to make conversation.

"Ah, no. It just makes me feel a bit… Fidgety," he explained, smiling wryly as if it were an inside joke. "I don't know why everyone needs to know their blood type for a health class, but that's just a personal opinion." I giggled beside him.

"That is actually a little weird. If anything, I feel like everyone should know by now; I've known mine forever." He raised an eyebrow in my direction. "B positive," I elaborated, smiling to myself. "Actually, my mom always said that my blood type was the reason why I was always so happy as a kid. There's probably absolutely no correlation, but it's fun to think it's true." I had never actually told that story to anyone else before that moment; I was surprised at the ease with which the words left my mouth.

"That is a funnest theory I've ever heard concerning blood, so I'll give your mom that," Adam replied. We mirrored smiles at each other; I was the first to break eye contact when I felt my cheeks flush. I took the moment to look down at the polish that had chipped on one of my nails. "Despite the sunny disposition," he said after another moment, "you do seem to be just a bit accident prone."

My teeth caught my bottom lip into a pearly embrace. "Yeah, I guess the evidence would prove you right. In my defense, I didn't have nearly as many run-ins with out of control cars or loose shoelaces before I moved here," I explained, laughing lightly. His responding chuckle was short as his shoulders stiffened. _Perhaps_ the subject was one he'd rather avoid. I took the beat in conversation as an opportunity to remove my hair from the ponytail it had been in and allowed the waves to fall around my face.

"So… Have you thought about those questions you wanted to ask me?" he questioned. Okay, perhaps he knew he couldn't avoid the conversation. I tucked my hair behind my ear once more.

"I've been mulling them over," I told him. "Not many of them make sense right now. I was considering radioactive spiders, but that was after I stayed up watching _The Amazing Spiderman._" I paused. "Wait. Have you ever been exposed to radioactive spiders? Do you have an Uncle Ben? I might have actually been on to something there."

Adam visibly relaxed beside me, catching on to my attempt to lighten the mood. I knew neither of us really wanted to have the beginnings of this discussion. "_Ha-ha_, very funny," he responded. "No relation to an Uncle Ben, unfortunately."

"Well damn. There goes one theory." I made a face of frustration before breaking into a quiet laugh. "To be completely honest, the only explanations I can come up with at the moment are based off superheroes."

"I would hardly consider myself a hero," Adam replied. The statement was so flat and solemn that it made me hesitate for a moment. _Could he really believe that?_ I thought incredulously.

"Well, you saved my life and if that's not heroic, I don't know what is," I told him. I lifted my hand to grab for his, but thought it was best to avoid contact… At least for the time being. Adam shrugged off the comment and looked at his own hands that rested in his lap. I mustered up some courage and nudged his shoulder with my own; his head turned and our eyes met. "Look―we don't have to talk about this now. I know this is all…" I searched for the right word. "_Complicated_ and we both have things on our minds, so let's just chill out, okay?"

I earned a smile.

"Chill," he repeated, as if the word was foreign to his mouth. "Huh. I think we could do that."

"Good."

We spent the rest of the time we had just talking about little things around school, like how the calculus teacher, Mrs. Fuller, had this ever present green scarf in her room that she never seemed to wear. I pointed out that I only ever saw one janitor taking care of the entire school, and Adam suggested that there may have been secret tunnels that they used. We even discussed the pitfalls of the staircase at the back of the school, where one step was just a little too short and thus caused about ten people to trip daily.

How pleasant it was to talk about nothing concerning life or death circumstances.

All too soon, it felt, the bell rang and Adam and I were brought out of the little bubble that had been created in the hallway. He stood up, towering over me, and offered me his hand. I was surprised to find his skin to be cool, as though he had spent the past hour outside in the chilly, autumn weather. I chalked it up to bad circulation and focused rather on the goodbye at hand.

"Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow?" Adam shouldered his backpack over his shoulder.

"Yes, you will. Have fun shopping―Oh, and look out for those pesky out of control cars," he joked good-naturedly, smiling down at me and saying goodbye before walking off into the throngs of students that now filled the halls. I sighed, reluctantly turning away and ramming right into Anna.

"Ow. Oh, hey, Brynn. I brought your things for you from the locker room," Anna explained, handing me my normal clothes as well as my book bag.

"Oh my gosh, thanks Anna." I did my best to pretend that I hadn't spent the better part of the past hour talking with the man of everyone's dreams. "So, you and Kristen are coming to my house now?" I asked, throwing my bag over my shoulder.

"Yeah, I just have to drive back home real quick then we'll meet you at your house."

"Okay, just text me when you get there," I replied, waving as I scurried to my locker then down to my car where I could properly squeal like the little girl I was.

. . .

Friday night, I flitted around my room, dancing on each foot as I wiggled my foot into the towering heels I had chosen for the dance. If my dad had been home, he would have thought that there was a small herd of elephants upstairs considering the amount of times I had run back and forth from my bedroom to the bathroom as I tried to pull myself together.

I did one more trip to the bathroom to grab my lipstick before finally stopping in front of the mirror that hung on the inside of the closet door.

I glanced myself over one more time: past my legs and the small, clear bandaid I had put over the scrape on my knee, and on to the dress I had bought in Seattle. Kristen had told me that I looked awesome in it; Anna had told me that my boobs looked awesome in it. I rearranged the bra that was helping said boobs look their best in the deep V neckline, then smoothed the navy colored fabric of my skirt.

With a huff of air, I shuffled over to my jewelry box and pulled out my oval, ivory colored earrings just as my phone pinged from the comfort of my bed.

_Are you ready? _A text from Adam. _I'll be there in five minutes. _

Glad to see he was prompt. _Yeah, I'm good to go! See you soon. _

I caught the goofy smile that was about to spread across my face. I couldn't believe my luck at that moment. Here I was, dressed in an outfit I adored, texting the most handsome guy this side of the equator, waiting for him to take me to a dance where everyone would be guessing as to whether or not we were actually together.

Come on―shit like this just doesn't happen.

Approximately five minutes after Adam's text had gone through, I heard the roar of an engine and a beep escape from the darkness. I made my way down the stairs, purse in hand, before grabbing a jacket from the coat closet. Expecting Adam to have been waiting in his car, I was surprised when I pulled open the door and found him standing there.

He was wearing a white collared shirt beneath a slick black rain coat and well-fitted, dark gray slacks that were likely to show off his best assets. Oh, _God_, I hadn't even checked out his most likely glorious gluteus maximus. He looked like a god standing before me, a charming smile on his lips.

"Wow." I blushed at the word that escaped his mouth as he offered me the umbrella in his hand. "You look… Nice."

"You do too." _Understatement of the century_, I thought. "Let's get going, shall we?" He nodded before leading me down the pathway to where his car was parked. I became hyper aware of his hand on the small of my back as we walked close together. Adam held the passenger door open for and I gratefully slid in to escape the rain. I glanced around the car and held in the urge to drop my mouth open as he drove down my driveway. It truly was a beautiful car, especially on the inside where everything glowed a dim blue against the dark tinted windows. Adam climbed in and took off down the road, his fingers fiddling with his phone as he scrolled through his music.

A low voice filled the car, along with a few strumming guitars. I thought I recognized the song and just as I turned my attention to Adam to ask who sang it, my eyes fell on the speedometer.

"Um… Adam?" I squeaked, my eyes wide.

He glanced at me with a confused expression. "Yeah, Brynn?"

"Aren't you going a little…fast?" I gulped. We were going at least 90 down the highway.

"What do you mean?" Adam repeated, looking at me now with his eyebrow raised. It was then that I realized that this must have been a natural thing for him; that didn't mean I wasn't scared shitless.

"Well I mean with the rain and everything, I just… _personally _wouldn't be going that fast," I explained while tucking my hair behind my ear.

"Oh. Yeah." A look of realization washed over his features. "Sorry, I'm just used to driving fast, but I'll slow down if it scares you," he offered, letting his foot off the gas just slightly. I gave him a thankful look and swallowed the fear in my throat, looking back out the windshield. I sat quietly for a moment, watching the trees whiz by. I started to notice just how long we had been driving.

"W-where are we going?" I asked hesitantly.

"You wanted to ask me some questions, right?" I nodded slowly, my eyes wide with fear. "Well I thought maybe I could answer you better if it was just the two of us."

"Just the two of us as in… As in, dinner?" I questioned, relaxing slightly at the thought of us going out to dinner rather than him suddenly turning out to be a serial killer.

"Yes, dinner. You didn't want to go to the dance," he said, and I could sense that it wasn't a question.

"I mean…" Part of me had wanted to go, just to blow off a little steam and show off my wildly good luck, but there was also a large part of me that knew that it wasn't the best place to figure out what the hell Adam was hiding from me. "I _was_ only going because of you," I admitted, wringing my hands in my lap and looking at him slowly. I saw that smile return to his lips and my heart melted. "So where are we going?" I asked as casually as possible.

"Port Angeles. We won't be too far away, and as you pointed out, I drive very fast, so it won't take long to get back if your father gets worried."

"Pssh," I scoffed. "My dad isn't coming home tonight. He could care less when I get home." That wasn't the whole truth, but it did hold some validity. My dad wasn't concerned about when I would return, mostly because he _knew_ I would.

"Really? I'd think that he would care quite a bit if his daughter left with a guy like me and didn't come back for quite some time." I hoped he was joking on the last part of his sentence.

"A guy like you? Yeah, quite the threat you are," I told him, biting my lip when I felt the sarcasm seep out of my mouth. Something about Adam made me throw up my words. He thankfully chuckled, shifting in his seat and switching hands on the steering wheel. He allowed his arm to rest on the center console beside mine. I blushed slightly before saying, "And my dad seems to like you just fine already, so you don't have much to worry about."

"Oh yeah? Well that's comforting." Adam turned his head toward me, a mischievous smile creeping its way back on to his lips. "A girl as pretty as you usually is followed by a shotgun-wielding father."

I paused. _Had he really just said that?_ I choked out a laugh and murmured an embarrassed, "Thank you." Blushing heavily this time, I hid my face behind my curtain of flaxen blonde hair. Taking the compliment was better than trying to fight someone who was so damn convincing. _Please, let's just get to the restaurant_, I begged in my head as we drove. Thankfully, my wish came true and the car soon came to a halt in front of a nice looking place, but not nearly nice enough to have a Audi parked in front of it. Before I could even look up, Adam was out of the car and opening my door.

"Thank you," I said, getting out and walking past him to the door to escape the slight drizzle that threatened to frizz my hair. Adam held that door for me as well, securing his position as a professional gentleman.

While we stood at the hostess podium, I watched the looks the waitresses were giving Adam. I mean, I even caught a glimpse of some of the waiters doing a double take as they walked by with plates of food lined up their arms. Thankfully, we were seated soon and Adam and I were able to make small conversation while I shifted in my seat, trying my best to appear comfortable and charming when I'd rather stare at him for the next thirty minutes straight. Hell, he could have been speaking in Chinese and I would have laughed and nodded my head right along.

"Are you sure there isn't anything else I can get you, sir?" our waitress, Lacey, asked, pen ready. I noticed that she had made a point of leaning in towards Adam, the front of her button down exposing her undeniably perfect pair of breasts. I glanced down at my own and unsuccessfully imagined them to be two cups bigger.

"I'm fine with my water. Brynn?" he said, looking me in the eye with a slight smile on his face.

"No, I'm okay. Thank you," I answered, glancing down at my grilled chicken caesar. She seemed deeply upset that Adam hadn't ordered anything. I was just as confused about his appetite, or lack thereof.

"Watching your figure there, Wood?" I inquired, trying to lighten the situation at hand. I needed to know what the hell was going on, but I figured I should set the tone with Adam. I wasn't here to accuse, but I certainly deserved to know the truth.

"Just not hungry," he explained, shrugging it off.

"You're never hungry though," I protested. "I've watched you throw out your lunch nearly every day since I've been here." _Careful Brynn, you sound like a stalker. _"I'm just curious as to why a healthy guy like you can't manage down an apple."

"Like I said, I'm just not ever that hungry, or at least I'm not interested in whatever the hell that cafeteria makes for us." This response was hardly believable coming from the mouth of a teenaged guy, but I shook it off. I had questions to ask and answers to receive.

"Okay, second question. Wh-" Adam interrupted me.

"You're really cutting to the chase, aren't you?" he asked, leaning forward to rest his crossed forearms on the table between us. "So no discussion of the state of the economy? What about what you want from this one crazy life?" Adam suggested, a congenial smile appearing on his face.

"Well, I can tell you all I want from life later," I countered. "And the economy has mostly gone to hell in a handbasket. _Anyway_. Second question." I processed for another second, allowing my mind to wander to the questions that had been settling in my mind for weeks. "How long have you lived in Forks?"

"Since freshman year, but I went to a private school until junior year," Adam replied, now sensing that I was about business, as much as I would have enjoyed not having this conversation.

"How did your family end up together?" I wondered, prepared to fire off questions at a lightning round pace.

"My father was a friend of James' and they adopted me when I was young... James and Elizabeth took on Gwen, Terry, Ella and Frank as the years went on. They didn't have homes and they wanted to provide for them."

"They don't think it's…. a bit weird that they have started dating each other?"

"Well, they kind of just accepted it as the way things were going to be. You wouldn't even know how sickening it is to live in a house full of couples," Adam replied, rolling his eyes as if it was the most normal thing to live in the home of two 30-somethings harboring teenaged lovebirds. But who was I to judge what another family did?

"And is there a reason that you all have the same eye color? Or is it just a coincidence?" I watched as Adam paused. A look of great hesitation crossed his face, as if there was no simple explanation that would follow. This dubiousness made me sense that there was something much more complicated going on. I spoke again before Adam even seemed to have created a decent response to my question. "Does… Does this have anything to do with why you were able to stop that car?" Adam just stared at me for a second then looked down at his empty bread plate.

"Brynn." My name was an exasperated sigh. "You really do have a knack for making life… Complicated. But I do owe you an explanation." Adam sent his bright blue eyes skyward as if asking God for a favor. "If I tell you, you'll think I'm insane," he replied, rubbing the back of his neck.

"I think I'll understand, Adam. How bad could it possibly be?"

"You have _no_ idea, Brynn." He sighed heavily and tapped his fingers against the table. "Okay... As you can tell, I'm not like most teenagers." I nodded, wondering where he was going with this. "And neither are my brothers and sisters, nor my parents. We're all a bit… special, I guess you could say, and this is something you've obviously picked up from being around us. But, I… God damn it, I didn't think I'd ever have to explain this to anyone." He rushed the last sentence before sighing again, swirling around the water in his glass. He licked his lips and looked at me again. "Brynn. I'm far from your average guy." _He could say that again_. "I'm just… I'm just not like you. My family and I are something very different." He breathed again in what seemed to be frustration. "I just don't know how to tell you what I am."

"What you are?" I questioned, wide eyed at not only Adam's obvious frustration but the fact that I was becoming aware of the emphasis he was putting on the fact that his entire family was different from what I was. Maybe he meant that they were all stunningly beautiful and I was not, but this didn't seem to be the point that Adam was trying to make. They may have had things that I did not have but this did not make them inherently different than who I was as a person. He seemed to be more concerned with what I was genetically: a human being. "Adam...You mean…" I paused, thinking of the absolute absurdity of my question, "You mean you're something other than… _human?_" My voice had dropped to an incredibly low volume as it gave out. Adam was sitting dead still in his chair, his eyes cast down at the empty plate in front of him, but his furrowed brow gave evidence that I had hit the nail on the head.

_Not human? What could he possibly mean by that?! _I thought as my heart began to the beat faster and faster. _Alright Brynn, think. What's not human? A god could have been an option, but that's just silly. _Adam had all the makings of a demigod, but I didn't dare make that assumption_. _I racked my brains for options as Adam finally made eye contact with me. I was suddenly reminded of a comment that Anna had made on one of the days that Adam was out of school. She had mentioned that the Woods were always out of school on sunny day because they liked to go hiking. But what if there was another reason? What if they couldn't be out in the sun because they were...

"Vampires." I whispered, and I felt my heart begin to pound in my chest. It was as if my fight or flight reflex had gone into hyperdrive in that moment. Adam was not like vampires from all those stories and movies. He was far from it_. _Not only was he so goddamned beautiful, but he was able to walk around during the day as if it were no issue. Perhaps not in the sunlight, but there was no evidence that he spent his free time in a coffin. No. This couldn't be happening. "You're a … A vampire? Y-You can't be." I just wouldn't believe it. He couldn't be.

"Brynn, stop shaking. I know this is a lot and it's scary but you need to stop before people start to notice," he said in his low, silky voice. "Here, drink this." He handed me his water and I shakily guzzled it down. "You're going into shock. Just calm down," he said softly, and it helped calm my shaking, though it did nothing to calm my temper.

"Don't expect me to _fucking_ calm down, Adam," I whispered angrily. "You just told me you are a goddamned vampire. That's not something I am going to get over just like that."

"I understand that, but you have to listen to me. What else could I have told you? You would get suspicious eventually. I know how you watch me out of the corner of your eye in school... how you see me. You've obviously noticed something about me that you put off before as some silly trick of the light."

"Your eyes."

"Exactly. Did you not realize that when I came back I was in a happier, _lighter_ mood? My eyes reflected that… You should have started guessing then."

"I didn't think it meant anything then," I answered simply, biting down hard on my lip. "But Adam… You're not like how vampires are supposed to be."

"Like I don't know that," he replied, exasperated. "Those are all lies. Lies that were made up by fanatics and people that feared the unknown in some far-lying part of Eastern Europe. "

"H-How old are actually?" I asked, almost afraid of his answer.

"I…" Adam took a deep breath. "I was born in New York City on March 20th... 1865." My eyes bulged out of my head but I did my best to keep the rest of my body intact.

"1865?" I asked, gulping down another sip of my water.

"Yes."

"That means you're…"

"150 years old," Adam finished for me and I felt my lungs working in double time as I took in sharp breaths of air. He couldn't be. He just couldn't. Then again, he could, because with my luck, anything goes.

"Uh… Wow," was my well articulated response as I rested my forehead in my hands, doing the best I could to overcome the intense urge to throw my guts up all over the table.

"Exactly. You have to promise to tell no one, or you'll ruin quite a few lives," Adam told me, tapping his foot against mine.

"O-Of course. I won't tell anyone," I promised, and it was the one promise I'd keep for the rest of my life. No one would know what Adam or his family were. _No one._

"Thank you. I'm actually breaking a huge rule by telling you this, so please, none of this should be spoken about outside of our conversations."

"Okay…" I paused, taking a steadying breath. "Another question then. Do you drink, um... Do you drink blood?" I asked unevenly.

"Yes, but not human blood. My family and I are what you could call… Vegetarians. We only drink animal blood, which explains the eyes."

"And are there others?"

"Yes, but they rarely stay in one place for a long time. There's another coven like ours that lives in Maine."

"Oh…"

Adam stared across the table at me and I mirrored him, wringing my hands again.

"I'm sorry if this is too much. If you don't want to talk to me-" he attempted to say, but I cut him off.

"No! I don't want to stop talking to you. You're kind of… my friend and… I don't know."

"You're okay with this?"

A loaded question.

How would I ever get over this? The guy that I was falling for had just told me that he was nearly two centuries old and would rather a nice glass of blood with his dinner. I should have wanted to run for the hills. But what was I going to do otherwise? Live with this information the rest of my life and be afraid of the one person who seemed to have stolen my heart?

"As much as I'll ever be," I finally answered, but I had one last question. "But Adam?"

"Yes, Brynn?" He looked at me with eyes that were so sincerely concerned that I felt my shoulders sink just a little lower and I knew that I would be able to ask him anything.

"This is going to sound really stupid… But you and I… What are we doing? Like, what is going on with us?" I asked, looking down at the full plate in front of me. I heard Adam laugh and I could hear the smile in his voice as he spoke.

"We are… Whatever you want us to be. I…" he looked thoughtful. "I don't know what it is about you, Brynn. There's just something _different_. I can't seem to stay away from you." I looked up again and sure enough, those sparkling blue eyes of his were there to greet me.

I blushed under his gaze. "I guess you could say I feel the same way about you," I told him. _That's not even the half of it_, I told myself.I earned a wide smile in response, as well as the touch of his foot nudging mine gently on the wooden floor.

Lacey, who seemed to be passing the table an irregular amount of times, stopped by again, flipping her white blonde hair over her shoulder.

"Can I get you any dessert?" she asked, again leaning towards Adam.

"No, just the check," Adam replied. I smiled to myself. He really did seem to like me. I mean, he wasn't even paying attention to Lacey, much less thinking about her.

She nodded dejectedly, finally coming to the conclusion that Adam and I were together, despite her attempts at luring him away with her double D's. Adam paid, even though I apologized repeatedly for not eating any of the dinner. He brushed it off, saying that it was his pleasure. Surprisingly, I was pulling out of my shocked faze after finding out Adam was a vampire. I honestly should have known there was something very different from Adam the first time I laid eyes on him.

As we drove home, there was a silence that wasn't awkward; it was the kind of quiet that shouldn't be interrupted by useless talk. There were things that I had to come to terms with, and the silence helped me.

Adam was a vampire. Okay. Minor issue.

Some part of him was attracted to the blood running through my veins. Okay. We can work around that.

I also seemed to be falling head over heels for this guy.

I was so screwed.


	5. Us

**((Author's Note: As an FYI, I went back into previous chapters and edited some things such as dates and such! Just wanted to notify anyone that had read the story previous to this chapter update, since there wouldn't be much continuity otherwise.**** Enjoy the new chapter!)**

Adam allowed the engine to idle as we sat in my driveway. The sound of raining falling on the roof of his car provided us with a quiet symphony.

"Well," Adam finally breathed, "I really am glad we got to do this tonight. You look beautiful," he added, which made me smile in return.

"Thank you," I responded. "I'm glad we got to talk about… _Everything_. Really. It was a-uh… An enlightening night, I guess." Adam snorted beside me.

"You could certainly say that. Thank you for your understanding. There are few people I would trust with this kind of secret, and I know you found out under complicated circumstances-" (It was my time to snort) "I'm glad that someone else knows. It's quite the burden to carry something like this on your back for so many years without having anyone to share it with…" From the tone in his voice, I could sense the genuine relief he felt.

I reached across the center console and I gripped his cold hand.

"I can't say I've fully come to terms with all of this, but I promise I'll try to understand. You can trust me," I told him, emphasizing my promise with another tight squeeze before I allowed his hand to drop back into his lap. Adam thanked me before glancing at my house.

"I suppose I should get you back inside," he suggested. "I don't want your dad to worry." At the mention of my father, I glanced down at my phone and saw that we had actually made it back in such good time that Michael wasn't expecting a text or call from me for another hour.

"I've got a little time, actually. Do you want to come in for a little bit?" Adam hesitated, glanced at the house once more, then back at me before nodding.

"Yeah, sure. Why not?" he said with a shrug of the shoulders before turning the car off and climbing out. Before I could even gather my bag from its place at my feet, Adam was opening my door. So this is why I had thought he was always in a hurry in school. _Super speed_, I thought, _cool. Got it. _

I warily avoided hitting my head as I stepped out of the car, before scurrying into the protection of my front porch as Adam followed behind me. The living room was comfortably warm in comparison to the chilly autumn rain. I tossed my jacket on to the couch then tucked my hair behind my ear.

"I'd ask if you wanted anything to drink but..." I started, an apologetic look crossing my face as I looked at him. Adam chuckled.

"I'm fine, thanks. Your house is cozy," he commented, looking up at the wooden beams on the ceiling. He looked so incredibly handsome leaning against the back of the couch, his hands in his pockets. It was hard to imagine that the man standing before me could possibly be something that nightmares are made of. I could have taken a picture of him, just to prove how unthreatening he could be. It was just as that thought crossed my mind that I remembered Mia having asked for a picture of my mystery man.

I thanked him for the architectural compliment before going over to my purse and pulling out my phone. "Hey, I know this is kind of an awkward question, but seeing as we're going to try to trust one another, I'm just going to come out with it: Would you mind if we took a picture together?" Adam gave me a surprised look. A realization dawned me. "Wait… If I take a picture of you… Will it show up?"

Adam stared at me for another beat before he began to laugh, his hand hitting his stomach once. I blushed heavily as I stood in place. He stopped after another moment and ran a hand through his hair.

"God, you're so adorable," he said, which made me blush even more. "Yes, of course I'll show up on camera." I caught myself pouting at my naive speculation, but it appeared so had Adam. "I'm sorry. You didn't know−I shouldn't have laughed like that. Just a rookie mistake." He had pushed himself off the couch and stood before me. "I have a lot of explaining to do, so don't worry if you don't know something."

His comforting smile was infectious. Would I ever be able to be in bad mood around him? _And had he really called me adorable? _

"Alright, come here," I said, pulling up the camera application on my phone. Adam went to go slide his arm over my shoulders but then became aware of just how tall I appeared to be, which caused him to look down at my feet.

"Christ, Brynn, why the hell are you wearing those things?" he wondered, a questioning eyebrow raised on his forehead.

"Because I don't like feeling short," I replied simply, crossing my arms over my chest. He stared at me with squinted eyes and his mouth slightly ajar.

He spoke slowly. "But...You're at least a good four inches taller than most of the girls in our school. I'd think that would make you the opposite of short."

"I feel short beside you though…" I answered quietly, biting my lip.

"I'm six foot three―I think you're perfectly fine without those damned heels." I begrudgingly complied and kicked my shoes beside the loveseat. "See? It might be a little easier for you to stand now," he explained. I shot a disappointed look in his direction before he slid his arm back around my shoulders. I had to admit that without my platforms, I fit perfectly into his side.

Adam offered to take the picture, since his arms were a little longer. I handed the phone off to him before wrapping my arm around his waist and placing my other hand on his stomach. I could feel his muscles tighten beneath his button down and was mildly satisfied that I could garner a reaction out of him. A few clicks later and I grabbed my phone from his hand.

The picture on the screen made me want to smile like the big idiot I was. Adam looked ever the model with his perfectly white-toothed grin and glittering, intensely blue eyes. I looked genuinely happy. I also had to agree with Anna that my boobs did look awesome in that dress.

We looked like a real couple, despite the fact that the details of our relationship were just a little fuzzy.

"That looks great," Adam commented as he leaned down beside me, his arm still around my shoulders. He was so close, I could smell his cologne; he smelled absolutely delightful. _God, I'd kill to be wrapped up in a sweater of his_... I day-dreamed before being brought back to reality. "You should post that." Adam's suggestion made me stop slightly. I had the full intention of sending it through to my group chat with Mia and Zoe, but I was surprised to hear that he wanted it to go up on social media; he was indeed Mr. Mystery.

"Are you sure?" I questioned, looking up into a gold flecked gaze.

"Yes. I mean, why not? I'm not usually one for pictures, but I'm sure people are curious as to how this night went for us," he explained, shrugging and rubbing the back of his neck. So maybe he wasn't oblivious to the gossip around school.

"Alright, if you say so," I replied. I was ecstatic at the idea of being able to do something as normal as posting a picture with the guy I had a very serious crush on, however. I fiddled around on my phone for a moment, then just like that, our faces were plastered all over everyone's newsfeeds. I put my phone down on the table beside the couch and looked back at Adam. "Now I wait for a barrage of questions to roll in," I half-joked.

Adam chuckled as he rolled up his sleeves. His arms were (unsurprisingly) perfectly muscled, and while I admired the taut tendons beneath his skin, I became aware of the highways of pale blue veins that made their way up his arms.

"Adam… Another question. This may be as silly as the first, but… Do you have blood in your body?" I wondered, making eye contact with him

"It's not a silly question, Brynn." He leaned against the back of the couch again. "I actually do have blood. It's obviously different from yours, and it flows differently. The only thing that really stops is your heart... And technically the lungs and stomach… But my stomach still digests everything, just in a different manner. Because of the blood- "I winced at the mention of his diet, "I just have more iron in my system." He looked thoughtful as he mulled over his anatomy. "My lungs don't necessarily need air either. I just breathe because it feels uncomfortable not to." I nodded slowly, eyes wide. "I'm scaring you, aren't I?" he asked, looking down at his black shoes. I bit my lip and sighed.

"No, you're not scaring me, per se. I'm just… still a little shell-shocked," I explained. Adam looked back up at me and nodded, a shy smile spreading on his lips. "I'll get used to all of this someday." I shifted closer so that I was standing in front of him, and took his hands in mine. "I promise," I added, smiling back at Adam. It was then that I realized that our faces were so close to one another's that if one of us made a move, a kiss wouldn't be out of the question. Adam seemed to be aware of the shift in the air and glanced up first at my eyes then down at my lips.

"Someday," he repeated, looking back into my eyes with that mischievous smile creeping onto his lips. _Is he going to kiss me? Holy shit, what if he does?! I need a mint right no- _My train of thought was interrupted when Adam leaned up and planted a soft kiss on my cheek. "As much as I'd love to stay, I should probably get going. It's been a long night for the two of us," he explained, and I could tell that he knew that if we were to actually kiss, the night would only become much, _much_ longer.

We both righted ourselves, and with a quick goodnight and a promise to text me in the morning, Adam gave me another kiss on the cheek before heading off into the night.

I watched his car pull out of my driveway, shut the front door slowly, then wandered over to the couch, where I plopped down into the leather cushions.

Adam was a vampire. Alright, we could work around that. I was comforted by that fact that he wasn't fully interested in human blood...Or at least I thought he didn't crave my blood in particular. I breathed out sharply, falling horizontally and staring up at the ceiling beams.

An obnoxiously loud ping alerted me and I popped up, startled by the sudden sound. I looked at my screen and saw that Zoe had texted our group chat. I opened it and all there was in large capitals was_ CALLING YOU. RIGHT NOW._

Sure enough, my phone began to ring approximately a second after the message sent through and I picked it up. It was to be assumed that Mia was over Zoe's because I received an earful of head-splitting screaming.

"Oh my God, Brynn! He's _gorgeous_!" I heard Mia squeal, which was followed by another round of uncharacteristically girly squeals.

"God, guys, it's like," I checked the time on the cable box. "9:30 here… It's what? 12:30 there? Where are you?"

"In my basement, duh," Zoe answered. I remembered that that was the one place where we could make all the noise we wanted and Zoe's parents wouldn't care one bit. "But Brynn...You must have photoshopped that picture. That's just unnatural to be that attractive. Seriously," she went on. I rolled my eyes and switched the phone to my other ear.

"No photoshop, I swear. Hell, I didn't even really put a filter on it. I could get another picture if you guys need to see for yourselves."

"Wait…Another picture? Does this mean that you're going to see each other again? Are you two dating?!" Mia questioned and I heard a slight shuffling, assuming she was grabbing the phone from Zoe's hand.

"Well… I think we might be on that road. We kind of came to that conclusion tonight. The details are little fuzzy right now, but it's nothing we can't straighten out." _Oh yes, being a vampire is just a fuzzy little detail,_ I commented mentally.

"Well, _holy shit_," Zoe replied, enunciating the syllables of each word. "You have managed to hook up with the world's most beautiful man a month into moving to this place. Could you be any more annoying?" she teased, causing me to roll my eyes once more.

"I guess I could," I began. "We didn't hook up. He kissed me on the cheek and we said goodnight. That's all."

"Um… Excuse me?" Mia responded. "You didn't kiss him? Are you being serious right now, Brynn? If I were you, I would have made out with that boy like I was the first person to ever discover kissing."

"Thanks for the enthusiasm, Mia," I answered in a jokingly tight voice. "But no―he's just old-fashioned, I guess. We're just taking it one day at a time."

"Whatever you say. When it does happen―which I'm sure it will, knowing you― you have to tell us all about it. I've been aggressively single for too long and you left me here with Zoe and Joe. I need to live vicariously through you," Mia explained dramatically. I could imagine Zoe pushing her middle finger into the side of Mia's face from approximately 3,000 miles away.

I laughed to myself, hit by a small pang of how much I missed the two of them. "Okay, okay―I'll be sure to keep you updated. In the mean time, I am dead tired and my feet are killing me. I'll text you guys later, okay?" The two of them agreed that they were just as tired and we all said our goodbyes before hanging up.

I resumed my position, face up on my couch with my eyes trained on the beam above me.

Adam really was too perfect. Yes, he was a vampire and that explained some of his more fantastic attributes, but that didn't take away from him being gorgeous, increasingly charming, and perfectly modest, apparently. He seemed to be so much more than just a blood-thirsty nightmare; If anything, he was an absolute dream.

When ten o'clock finally rolled around, I called Michael, who was staying in Seattle for the night. He asked me how the dance was and while I knew it was bad to lie, I told him that we had a great time dancing and that Adam had just dropped me off.

"Glad to hear you got out and had some fun," my dad replied while I twisted a piece of hair around my finger.

"Yeah, it was an interesting night," which wasn't entirely a lie.

"Now... do you think you'll be going out with this boy, again?" I could hear the prying tone in his voice, though he seemed to be trying to remain nonchalant. My father was the worst actor I knew.

"Well, yeah. Maybe. We'll see." I tried my hardest to avoid talking more about Adam and I's possible relationship and instead turned the conversation back on my dad, asking him what he was up to and when he would be back in Forks. He replied that he'd be back the next evening, and that maybe we could go out for dinner since we hadn't spent all that much time together. I agreed with the idea and after saying goodnight to each other, we both hung up and I flicked on the TV from my place on the couch. I absentmindedly peeled off the fashion tape I had used to keep my dress from falling open as I watched an old episode of a home renovation show.

When midnight suddenly loomed on the cable box clock, I decided it was about time for me to end this incredibly long day and climbed up the stairs to my bedroom. Once I was dressed in a large t-shirt and boy shorts, I climbed into bed with my computer in my lap so I could check on all of my notifications. Just in the few hours it had been posted, the picture of Adam and I had garnered more likes than I'd ever received, from both people in Ocean City and Forks.

There was going to be quite the buzz on Monday morning.

With a final huff, I put my laptop on the floor beside me, pulled my hair into a bun on top of my head, and settled into my pillows, allowing a heavy sleep to sweep through my body.

. . .

I stood alone on the beach, the wind whipping up the long, navy dress I wore. Everything was silent save for the crash of waves and the call of gulls in the dark sky above. The clouds along the horizon were dark, announcing the arrival of impending storm. The boardwalk was deserted, not a soul present, and that's when I realized I was back home in Ocean City. I recognized everything― the lifeguard station with its red cross-bearing flag stirring in the wind, the usually busy restaurant down the block that was now quiet, and the ramp that led down to my mom's street.

The soft coo of a child startled me and I turned to see a young boy, two years old at most, toddling towards me. His golden brown hair was as whipped up as mine was around his precious little face and his deep green eyes stared up at mine. He reached his hands up, fingers flexing as he signaled me to lift him. As I did, he nuzzled into my shoulder, nodding off with his fingers clenched around the strap of my dress. I found myself wondering who the child could have belonged to, but it struck me that he had the same sandy colored hair I had as a little girl.

I was startled once more when I felt a pair of arms wrap around my waist from behind. I held back a muttered expletive that threatened to leave my lips when I heard a purring voice in my ear.

"He must be tired out from today," came Adam's voice ringing through my eardrums. "And you must be too," he added, sending a shiver down my spine as he placed a kiss on the space just below my ear.

I turned to face him, again struck by how well the details of his face were etched in my memory. His bright azure eyes were there to greet me, a smile spreading across his face.

"Now why would that be?" I wondered, which seemed like a natural response, but I was also genuinely curious. His eyes seemed to darken ever so slightly.

"I think you, me, and your mother's guest bed know why," he replied, taking the little boy from me and bouncing him slightly. I was shocked by his remark and was about to question him once more when I noticed the hand he had clenched around the toddler's knees. Resting on his third finger was a platinum wedding band. In a moment of shock, I glanced down at my own left hand and was greeted by a shockingly brilliant diamond ring and complimentary band. The single, round diamond glinted in the last remaining sunshine.

I withheld an astonished gasp. In this dream world, this was nothing new.

"Remind me to apologize to my mom later then," I replied, the words alien to mouth as if I weren't really saying them. It was as if I was becoming an audience to the conversation now. Adam chuckled, which seemed to awaken...My son?

"She's just glad you're here alive and well." His answer had a dubious tone. "Especially after the last time…" His voice trailed and it was then that my vision grew blurred and I was yanked suddenly from the scene.

I started quickly, sea air lingering in my nose. I adjusted to my surroundings and found myself still resting in my bed, alone, in Forks, Washington. No engagement ring rested on my finger. There was no little boy reaching for me. I was still me with a life and a past I was sure of.

I shook my head quickly and my hair fell out of its bun. I left it down, turned over on my stomach and tapped my pillow. _What could have ever gone wrong in my sweet little hometown?_ I wondered. _What was Adam doing with a wedding ring and myself with a baby?_ I had to remind myself that dreams were just that ―_dreams_― before sighing heavily and shifting to look out the sliding door to where I could see the first signs of grey light peeking through from the east. I then looked over at my clock. It was five thirty.

"Great."

. . .

Monday finally came and I could feel myself smiling as my eyes popped open.

Monday meant school which meant I got to see Adam.

Who knew that I could suddenly be excited by the thought of a _Monday_.

I rolled out of bed, rubbing my eyes as I wandered down the hall to wash my face. Just as I dried my face on one of the towels hanging on the back of the bathroom door, I heard a car beep from outside. Curious to see who it could be, I scurried back into my room and as I peered out of the sliding door, I saw Adam climbing out of his car.

_What the hell?_ I thought when there was a few quick knocks on the front door. I scrambled around my room, throwing on my black jeans and a denim shirt, haphazardly tucking the shirt in as I raced downstairs. I nearly tripped on the way but was able to open my door to find Adam standing there without a scratch. He looked as handsome as ever; I was pleased to find a content smile on his lips.

"Uh… Hi? What are you doing here?" I asked, regretting not having put on my make up earlier.

"Well… I thought you might want a ride to school. You know, save some gas," he replied, putting his hand in his pockets.

"Really? That would be… Great. Do you mind waiting down here? I still have things to do."

"Like what? You look great." His response garnered a quick, far too loud, nervous laugh.

"That's sweet but I need to just pull this," I motioned to my face, "together. I'll be down in… Ten minutes. Tops," I told him, smiling. He rolled his eyes, but he sat down on my father's couch, throwing his arms over the backs of the cushions. I scurried up the stairs quickly, trying to put on my make up as fast as I could.

"Shit," I muttered as I wiped at the powder that I had fallen down my shirt.

"Are you okay up there?" Adam questioned, and I could tell he was standing at the bottom of the stairs.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just… Spilled some stuff," I admitted, tossing my brush into my makeup bag. I swiped on a layer of bright red lipstick and once I was sure I looked set for the day, I ran back down the stairs to find Adam standing, his eyes focused on me.

"You look lovely," he said, smiling at me before walking over to the front door and opening it. "And I _hope_ that's all you need to do," he added, smirking at me.

"Yeah, let me grab my jacket and I'll be right out," I told him, grabbing my black trench coat out of the closet and tossing on a leopard print scarf.

Adam held his car door open for me and I was sure to watch my head as I ducked inside. Before I could even click on my seatbelt, Adam was speeding down the road towards school.

"You really have to stop doing that. I'm going to have a heart attack one day," I half joked, shifting in my seat.

"Sorry―should I move at human pace for you?" he asked devilishly, turning his eyes on me as we made our way down the main street that led towards the high school.

"If you could, I would appreciate it."

"Well… I'll try but I can't make too many promises that I'll be successful." He went on to ask me how the rest of my weekend was; I told him that I had gotten dinner with my dad at the same place he had taken me on Friday. Lacey had indeed been working again that night and eyed me warily as she passed by the table.

"She was probably still expecting you to come in and order something," I joked, earning a quick chuckle.

"I wouldn't be surprised. She seemed to be crestfallen to say the least." Adam pulled into the parking lot and found his normal spot. He cut the engine and we climbed out simultaneously, though I reached back in to grab my bag from the floor. When I turned back around I was greeted by a mess of curly black and blonde hair, bombarding me and causing me to take a step back in defense.

"Nice to see you too," I commented, straightening myself as I looked down at Kristen and Anna's over-anxious faces.

"Oh my God, oh my God! You and Adam?!" Kristen shrieked not so quietly, making me blush since Adam was still standing right on the other side of the car… Scratch that, he was already standing next to me.

"Yes, now_ shut up_," I whispered back even though I knew Adam could hear it.

"What happened to you guys on Friday? We were looking for you everywhere," Anna said, staring up at us incredulously.

"We were-" I started to respond but Adam cut me off.

"I decided that I wanted to take Brynn out to dinner. We realized that we didn't really want to go to the dance, so we just went out," he explained. I looked at him for a second then realized that anything he said would be taken in stride, while if I explained, they'd think I was lying.

"Oh. Well how was it?" Anna asked Adam, looking at him with wide, brown eyes.

"It went nicely if I do say so myself. How about you, Brynn?" he asked, looking down at me.

"Yeah, it went really well." Yeah, totally. Because I didn't find out that my maybe-boyfriend-_thing_ was a vampire. Yes, nothing of that sort.

Anna eyed us suspiciously and Kristen just smiled, taking it in stride like Adam had meant it to.

"Well, I'm glad it did. Aren't you, Anna?" she asked, nudging our friend. Anna nodded, a strange look crossing her features. I could nearly hear the grumble of a green-eyed monster from deep in her stomach. I smiled at the girls though, pulling my hair over one shoulder.

"We should get to class. Don't want to be late," I said, looking at Adam.

"Yes, we should. I'll talk to you guys later," he said, one cold hand on my shoulder as he leaned down to kiss my temple. He turned, flashing us one last dazzling smile, before heading off to his first class.

"Jesus Christ, Brynn, you're lucky," Kristen said as we walked. I sighed, shrugging.

"I guess… I mean, don't get me wrong! I'm really happy about it, but I'm afraid of what people might say."

"Well, whatever. They don't matter. Brynn, you've got_ Adam Wood._ That's something that _none_ of the other girls in this school have gotten, including Anna and I. You shouldn't worry about it." I nodded, smiling slightly before Kristen went off to her class and Anna and I headed to ours.

Lunch couldn't have come fast enough. I slammed my locker door shut and headed towards the lunch room, weaving my way through the throngs of people around me. When I passed through the doors, I glanced to my left, hoping to see Adam seated at his usual table; I was surprised to find his seat unoccupied. Instead, Ella and Frank sat together with their heads leaned close together. Ella glanced my way and perked up, her incredibly white toothed smile spreading across her pretty face. She said something to Frank quietly before standing up.

"Brynn!" she said, catching me as I was about to go sit at my usual table. Her voice was sweet and clear and it now struck me how odd it was to imagine her being a vampire as well. I wondered if she knew that I knew. "Adam told me to let you know he's sitting over there." She motioned to the far corner of the room, where Adam was indeed sitting by himself, fiddling with an apple in his hands.

"Oh. Okay. Thanks Ella," I replied, smiling down at her. She smiled in return and strolled back to her seat beside Frank, who had been watching her with his midnight blue eyes. I made my way over to my own cobalt blue gaze, and couldn't help but feel the looks I received as I walked past the rest of the students.

"Long time no see," Adam joked, smiling up at me before motioning to the seat beside him. "Would you care to sit with me today?"

"Yes, of course. You could always sit with me and my friends…" I noticed the look he gave me, which told me that he didn't want to risk bringing up anything from this weekend in front of my friends. "Nevermind―Here is fine. Are you going to eat that?" I asked, nodding at the red apple in his hands.

"You know I won't," he said, putting it in front of me.

"Thank you. I didn't get much breakfast this morning." I bit into the apple, a bit of the juice running down my chin. I wiped it carefully away with the back of my hand, sure that my lipstick was still in place, and looked at Adam. "What would happen if you ate regular food?" I asked, curious.

"Well, it's about as appetizing to me as drinking warm blood would be for you," he explained, his voice low as a group of girls walked by, eyeing us.

"Oh. So no food. Got it." I laughed nervously and made a displeased face at the thought of red blood on my tongue.

At that moment, my phone vibrated in my pocket. There was a message from Mia plastered on my screen.

_Are you with him?_ I sighed, typing back quickly.

_Yes. In school. Now leave me alone_, I answered, locking it and throwing it into my bag. Adam gave me an inquisitive look.

"Mia, one of my friends from home. She's been pestering me all weekend," I explained. "She, uh… She's decided she wants to live vicariously through me." He nodded in understanding, laughing to himself.

"You're obviously still close to her, then," he speculated and I nodded in return. "And… Zoe, right? I'm guessing that they know about Friday?" His eyes were wary― I could nearly see him calculating the risk of telling me his deepest, darkest secret.

"They saw our picture, if that's what you mean," I responded, and it was as if he released a breath he had been holding for quite some time. "They were curious about you. Mia is convinced you are some kind of masked crusader, since she hasn't been able to find you on any type of social media." Adam laughed again, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Well, I wouldn't think documenting my everyday life would be conducive to keeping my family's little secret under wraps," he replied. "And as for the masked crusader bit… I don't understand why everyone seems to be under the impression that _I'm_ the hero." I shot a disapproving look in his direction.

"Don't be so pessimistic," I scolded, which seemed to surprise him. "Maybe you're not the hero, but you're certainly not the villain," I reminded him. He opened his mouth as if to respond, taking in a starting breath, but seemed to think better than to fight me on the subject. I'm sure he would learn that I could rather stubborn when I wanted to be. "_Anyway_… Speaking of the picture of us… Can you feel people looking at us as much as I can?" I wondered, shooting a glance behind me and noticing how many sets of eyes were turned our way before darting to avoid my own stare.

"Yes, I had realized that. As if I couldn't already hear what everyone was saying," he answered. I tilted my head in questioning; Adam paused for a beat and sighed before responding. "I can hear your pulse right now―Imagine what whispers can sometimes sound like." As he explained the situation, I winced. First, in reaction to the thought that he could hear (and was probably thinking about) the blood running through my veins. Second, remembering how I had talked about him quite a few times without second thought. I hadn't imagined that anyone else could have been listening in.

"Got it." I listed off the things I had found out about him in my head: First, no food. Second, he was lightning fast. Third, he could hear _everything_.

"Do you know what Kristen and Anna are talking about right now?" I wondered, genuinely interested in the conversations people would have when I wasn't sitting right there. The idea was also incredibly intimidating.

Adam sat silent for a moment while I chomped into my apple once more. While he seemed fine one second, a dangerous look crossed his face. He took a short breath.

"You don't happen to harbor any good feelings towards Emily Carter, do you?" he wondered, looking at where my friends sat then back at me. I considered his question. Emily was a friend of Anna's that I talked to occasionally, though she irritated me more than any of the people I had met since moving here. She had an incredible ability to take any conversation and turn the attention on herself. Anna could ramble on a bit at times, but not like Emily could the minute someone decided to pay attention to her.

I didn't think I had such a negative image of this girl until Adam mentioned her. "Not particularly," I replied. "Why?"

"She seems to love filling the air with nonsense, doesn't she?" I nodded, rolling my eyes. "She's a terrible gossip, really. I wouldn't waste your time being civil with her, if I were you," he warned. I gave him a surprised look before casting my eyes in Emily's direction. She was in fact sending furtive looks our way, whispering to the other girl beside her. This hadn't been the first time that people were talking about me since I had come to Forks, but I never in a million years would have thought that everyone would start not only talking about myself, but _us._

"Noted," I replied, letting the thought of idle gossip fall into the back of my mind as I turned back to that incredibly handsome face of his. His expression told me that he was still listening, but in an attempt to bring him back into the conversation, I posed a question. "So… I've been wondering about something."

"What would that something be?' he asked, now making eye contact and allowing for a small smile to return to his full lips.

"Well, it's bit odd, but what color were your eyes before… You know."

"Oh. I hadn't expected that," he replied. "Well, from what I can remember, I had green eyes. Dark green, like my mother's."_ Your mother who died over a century ago, _I added mentally. I had promised I would learn to understand, but that didn't mean I still couldn't be in awe of just how long Adam had been alive.

I was also struck by the image of the young boy from my dream the night before, with his wide, deep green eyes. I imagined how Adam had wrapped his arms around me… around _us. _

"What makes you ask?" Adam wondered, pulling me out of my reprieve.

"What? Oh, just out of curiosity. I couldn't imagine what you would look like without the blue," I explained, looking into his cobalt kaleidoscope gaze. "Green suits you, I guess," I added, telling myself that he could have yellow eyes and pink hair and he'd still be the most glorious thing I had ever seen. Adam chuckled in response to my comment, running a hand through his hair.

"It has been a long, _long _time since I've looked in the mirror and seen anything but this particular shade of blue. The rest of my family could say the same, for the most part."

"So… Exactly how long have you been with your family?"

Adam opened his mouth then quickly shut it, thinking over the numbers. After a second, he responded. "I believe I've been with them for about… 120 years or so."

It was now my turn to do the math.

"Wait." Something didn't compute. "Were you not with them for ten years?" I questioned, tilting my head to the side in wonder. Adam took a deep breath, looking down at the tray in front of him which I knew was ultimately a prop in his constant human performance.

"No, you see, I... I was being a bit rebellious during that time," he explained, continuing to stare at the food before him. I began to imagine just what he meant by rebellious and my breath hitched at the thought.

"By rebellious you mean..." I trailed off, as if it were an open-ended question.

"I went off course for quite some time. You could call it my… Ornery teenage phase, I suppose." He paused for a moment, contemplative. "My eyes were a different color during those years."

His eyes seemed to open like a story book or, more accurately, a historical novel. There were thousands of stories to read there; perhaps some of the pages were stained in human blood. I shuddered slightly at the thought, not just because of my aversion to think of Adam in that way in my own mind, but also because I could hardly imagine what it was like inside his brain… What it was like to replay those dark memories for decades upon decades, blaming yourself for all the blood that had been spilled.

There was no wonder why Adam didn't seem to consider himself the hero.

He seemed hesitant as he monitored my reaction. It was as if the cogs were turning in his brain, contemplating whether or not I would get up and never stop running or if I would stay just where I was.

I was in far too deep to consider the first option (as if I would ever run from him), so the second reaction seemed to be my best and only plan of action. Choosing my words carefully, I finally broke the silence.

"Those years don't negate all the other years, though," I told him, my voice low as I leaned closer to him. "Ten years in your lifetime… Well, that's nothing." It was more than half of my own lifetime, but regardless, what I said was true. It was a blip on the screen of his life, a detour of sorts. "That doesn't make you any less of a good person," I assured him. My hand reached out for his, which had been rested in a fist on the table. I had intended it to be a comforting gesture, but Adam seemed to pull away infinitesimally before relaxing, his cool hand loosening so I could squeeze his fingers earnestly. He breathed out a short laugh.

"I may need you to remind me of that some time. It can be rather difficult, at times, to differentiate the things that make me a good man and those that make me a bad man. More often than not, the bad seems to outweigh the rest, but that seems a bit dramatic, doesn't it?"

"Not dramatic… It's understandable, I guess. It's, uh… Hardly anything I know about or can imagine, but it must be damn near impossible to remove yourself from the things that you've done." He nodded while I squeezed his hand once more, allowing my own hand to return to its spot on the table before us. I was surprised when he reached out again, taking my hand in his and turning it backside up.

"What is this from?" he questioned, running his cool, smooth thumb over a small scar on the back of my hand. I hadn't thought anyone could notice it, but then I had to remember that everything about his senses must have been heightened.

"Oh, that?" I laughed nervously. "It was a dog bite. I must have been, I don't know… Maybe seven years old? My aunt has this big dog and it didn't really take kindly to me pestering it. I guess I got what I deserved for playing with something that could bite back," I explained, shrugging and looking down at the thin, white line.

I didn't realize how poignant my statement was until a beat later. Adam seemed to have either missed the heavy symbolism in my words, or maybe he just didn't want to acknowledge it.

"And this?" Adam asked again, turning my arm on to its other side so he could inspect the oval spot on my forearm that was a shade darker than the rest of my skin.

"Curling iron burn from last year," I admitted, blushing. "The product of wielding a four hundred degree object at six in the morning." Adam chuckled, rubbing his thumb across the burn once before allowing me to drop my arm back down. His fingers had ignited a small fire in my veins, surprisingly gentle and soft against my skin. I wouldn't mind having that feeling running through my body for the rest of time.

I'd become addicted to this guy one day.

"Prone to accidents, aren't we?" he wondered, raising his eyebrow playfully.

"I don't think I'm completely a lost cause," I responded, giggling to myself again. "I never mean for these things to happen, but I've always figured that things are supposed to happen for a reason and the best that I can do is try to understand that. I sure as hell don't bother dogs now and I've learned that I need to be fully awake to even think about turning on a curling iron." Adam nodded, contemplating my reasoning.

"Well, in that case, do you think that you could possibly avoid injury long enough to spend some time with me this afternoon?" My eyebrows raised as I looked at him.

"I-I think that can be arranged," I responded, stumbling over my words. I had spent so many minutes and hours thinking about what it would be like to be friends with Adam; you'd think I'd be prepared to do something as simple as spend time together outside of school. But now that we were at this junction in our… Relationship, of sorts, the idea of alone time was almost intimidating. Perhaps not just the one-on-one conversation, but the quiet moments. The intimate moments… "I'm game for anything," I added, hoping he wouldn't be able to hear the apprehension in my voice.

"Wonderful. Then we can go right after school ends," he replied, smiling at me warmly. I was about to nod before remembering that I was, in fact, still a regular student.

"Um, how long are you thinking? Because I might have homew-" Adam's incredulous look cut me off.

"Are you seriously concerned with the amount of homework we are going to have?" he wondered, looking down at me just as the bell rang. We both stood, gathering our things. "I've noticed that you do your work in class and I know for a fact that we won't have anything in our Chemistry class." His observation brought a slight pink to my cheeks, but I was curious about his last assumption.

"How would you know that?" I wondered while we walked out the back doors of the cafeteria towards our class. "Am I going to find out that you can read minds now?" I laughed at the thought, but Adam's apprehensive pause made me weary.

"Well, about that…" he began in a low voice, rubbing the back of his neck and avoiding my wide-eyed gaze.

"Pardon?" My tone was full of disbelief. "Am I supposed to believe that you can hear everyone's thoughts right now? Wait, can you hear _mine_?" I panicked at the thought.

"If you could speak a little softer, Brynn, I would appreciate it, since not everyone is as privy to my… situation, as you are." I apologized quickly before he continued in a quiet voice. "But, if you must know, I've always been able to tune into people's thoughts… I've learned to control it over the years and for the most part it's easy to ignore, but things slip." I felt my face heat up. It was embarrassing enough to think that Adam had been able to hear what I said to my friends out loud, but now… I wanted to melt into a puddle of teenaged embarrassment on the hallway floor. "However, I seemed to have reach a brick wall when it comes to you. Pure silence."

My puddling seemed to be reversed.

"Oh, well, that's… interesting," I responded, refraining from showing the relief on my face. At the very least I could be safe in my own mind. I considered all of things Adam must have heard in his lifetime; all of the things he must have heard _today. _How exhausting it must have been to carry the words of others in your mind and not be able to react.

"Interesting is one word for it," Adam replied with a smirk as we continued down the hall, my legs moving quicker than usual to keep up with his long strides. "I hadn't mentioned it because of the block. You're about as easy to read as a blank book, which I suppose is refreshing… I'm usually just so sure of how others perceive me, but you…" He looked down at me then, his electric blue eyes wandering over my face. "You're a mystery."

"I could say the same about you," I replied, earning a quick smile. My cheeks warmed as we made eye contact for an extended moment. Our proximity to one another, which had unintentionally grown closer as we walked, caused our hands to brush one another. With a surge of courage, I took it upon myself to eliminate any distance between our palms and interlocked my fingers with Adam's.

Like he had at the table, Adam initially flinched at the contact but seemed to relax as we walked hand in hand through the hall. His hand was chill against my palm which had grown warm with my blush, but I noted how our fingers locked together like pieces to a puzzle. Maybe he was thinking the same thing when he squeezed my hand tightly. I hid the grimace that threatened to show just how tight his grip really was.

When I looked back up from the floor and back to Adam's handsome profile, I noticed his eyes were trained down the hall, just beyond the door to our classroom. I followed his gaze and noticed Emily and her friend, whose name escaped me at the moment (_Jill? Jessica? J-something?_), staring at the two of us. I glanced back up at him and found a scowl on that beautiful, full mouth of his. I could only imagine what he was hearing at the moment and shook my head.

"Adam," I said quietly, getting his attention. "They're just stupid girls… They don't deserve the death glare. I'll be fine," Adam snorted in response, holding the door open for me.

"All I will say is that they've chosen the wrong person to think badly of," he replied, releasing my hand before sliding his own to the small of my back for a moment as we walked into the room together. We made our way to our shared desk, where our seats seemed to gravitate closer to the other than they had ever been before.

It felt like I had entered into this bubble of sorts with Adam, where our bodies naturally leaned toward the other and everything around us felt just slightly muted in color and sound. This bubble, however, did not stop me from realizing that Matt had walked into the room just a few moments later, shooting a quick glance in my direction before throwing an incredulous look toward Adam.

_Whoops_. My features turned apologetic; I had forgotten that I usually went to class with Matt. Maybe he'd understand if he knew that I had otherwise been processing the fact that Adam could read other people's thoughts, but unfortunately that would be one hell of an explanation. I figured he'd get over having to walk the five minutes alone, but obviously he was more perturbed by the sight of Adam's hand touching mine.

I'd obviously awoken more than one green-eyed monster this afternoon.

"Get a room," Matt muttered under his breath as he walked past our table. Evidently, he'd been listening to Emily's gossip during lunch. I blushed a deep shade of pink and threw an angry look in his direction, but noticed Adam had shifted beside me, throwing his arm over the back of my chair. The stance was so relaxed and cool that the words that left his mouth didn't seem so uncharacteristic.

"Go fuck yourself," Adam whispered, flexing his hand so that I could hear his knuckles crack quietly. I stifled a laugh, surprised by the curse that, in my own mind, seemed foreign to his lips. It was easy, when considering his age, to imagine that Adam would be prim and proper and an unfailing gentleman, but then I told myself that he had lived a full life, where countless changes had occurred. It was unrealistic to think that he hadn't changed in that time as well.

Just in the short time that I had spent getting to know him, I knew that he could be as proper as he desired to be. Adam was chivalrous, polite, and occasionally standoffish, but now it seemed as if I were opening up a new side of him; a side that had been influenced by the many decades he had lived through.

He was still eighteen years old after all.

Hearing Adam's response, Matt did a double take back at us, his blush mirroring mine now. It must have been the first time Adam had ever really dropped the wall he usually kept up around other people. I think everyone in hearing distance was a little shocked by his nonchalant tone, and even a girl behind us giggled nervously. I looked at Adam, biting my lip. _Maybe he's more human than he wants to believe, _I thought while I leaned back in my chair, allowing Adam's arm to rest just against my shoulders.

Mr. Barbato, oblivious to the interaction that had just occurred, started the class with a throat-clearing cough and an announcement that there was no homework that night, since we were going to have an exam later that week. I shot a look at Adam again and found a knowing smirk on his lips. I didn't need telepathy to hear the _I told you so_. I pulled a notebook out of my bag beside me and settled into my chair once more, comforted by my own personal vampire firewall.

. . .

I hurried out of the gym room and towards Adam's car, my trench coat flapping behind me in the post-storm wind. Adam was already leaning against it, his arms folded over his chest. It was unfair for a striped sweater to look so good.

"Alright, where are we going?" I asked, walking around the car to the passenger side.

"You'll have to wait and see," he told me, smiling as he slid into his seat. _Always the mystery, _I thought as I climbed in after him. I noticed how people watched us as Adam backed out of his parking space, but soon their faces were blurred as he sped out of the lot.

A few minutes passed in silence as Adam skimmed through his music, clicking from a one song that featured a single acoustic guitar, then to what I guessed was a harpsichord, then to another song that I recognized as being from this century. I tucked a piece of hair behind my ear and watched as the trees zoomed by us, a sea of jade and deepest blue-green.

I turned my attention to his profile, studying each curve and bend I found there. I had only seen such smooth skin on the statues that stood like soldiers in the Greek wing of the Metropolitan Museum. Little had I known all those times I had wandered behind my mother looking at those gods that I'd be riding along beside one of them, listening to Lord Huron sing about the ghost on the shore.

"So… Care to tell me about that moment with Matt Flagler today? I'm just a little shocked that those words actually came out of _you,_" I commented. Adam glanced at me as he continued down the winding road, one hand steady on the steering wheel.

"I was hoping you hadn't heard that, but I suppose I was being a bit overly optimistic," he replied, flexing the fingers wrapped around the wheel momentarily. He was wearing a rather wry smirk. "Matt's mind, I've found, is just a bit too… _loud _for my liking. I guess that was my own personal way of sending a message back, loud and clear." Adam looked at me again. "And I should apologize for my language― I guess I've developed an occasionally colorful word choice over the last century."

I laughed at his admission. "No need to apologize," I told him. "I haven't lived that long and I still have to contemplate starting a swear jar for myself. I was just surprised that Mister Mid-Nineteenth Century would ever talk like that." It was Adam's turn to laugh.

"Let's not make that nickname stick," he replied, taking my hand in his free one and squeezing it slightly. "But I'm sure you've gathered that while I might be a bit old-fashioned, that doesn't mean that I haven't lived through the past century and a half. I'm not as... highly-strung as you may think." I nodded in response, contemplating just how many ways Adam had evolved past his Victorian upbringing. I realized just how much we had to talk about now that he had given up his little secret. He would have decades and decades worth of stories to tell and I had always been the little historian; I'd be a more than willing student.

I was about to ask Adam about these changes when I noticed he was pulling over to a small clearing on the side of the road.

"Is this where we're going?" I asked hesitantly, turning my attention from the trees beside the car to the man beside me.

"No, but this is the last place where I can leave my car for a few miles," he replied, cutting the engine and motioning for us to get out of the car. I followed suit slowly, opening my door and looking at the scene before me.

"So where _are _we going, then?"

"Well, if you would promise to remain slightly less accident prone than usual," I made a face at his teasing, "then I was thinking I could take you to my favorite part of Forks." I raised my eyebrows slightly, interested in this mystery location.

"How far away is it?" I wondered, glancing down at the black ballet flats I had chosen that day. His mouth twitched into a smile.

"Not too far, if we use my method," he answered, shrugging on his leather jacket and leaning his head to one side as if to crack his neck.

"Your method?"

"My only advice is to hold on tight," he replied, and before I could even form the words to ask him what he meant, he had pulled me on to his back and launched us into the sea of green.


	6. Nerve

I had never been more mad at my lungs in my entire life.

The sound and the air that were required to make a scream refused to rise in my throat and instead a squeak was all I could muster as Adam hurtled through the woods. I did have enough willpower to follow his instructions and clung tightly to his tall figure, which seemed to be under hardly any stress from carrying me on his back.

For the first few, blurry moments, I had stared with wide eyes at the flashes of green around us; after the initial shock, I thought it'd be better for my sanity to close my eyes. It was as if I was sitting on the hood of his car, the accelerator well passed the speed limit of the parkway. I buried my face into Adam's shoulder as the wind whipped in my ears, my fingers digging into the fabric of his sweater.

Before I could even gather enough strength to lift my head, we came to a relaxed halt as Adam jogged into an area that seemed to be less dark than the woods had been. He set me down, releasing my legs from around his waist. I managed to open my eyes then and much like the dream I had had a week previously, everything seemed just a little too green… Maybe just a little too _fuzzy_.

"Brynn, are you okay?" Adam asked tentatively, grabbing my shoulders lightly.

My response wasn't as articulate as I may have hoped for.

One moment, I was looking up into those bright blue eyes, filled with concern, and the next, everything darkened around the edges as if someone had turned up the contrast on the scene. My knees buckled beneath me and I was vaguely aware of Adam catching me before I fell to the grassy earth.

. . .

"Brynn?"

A hand smoothing my hair away from my face seemed to wake me from my daze. I lifted my head in a jerky motion before lying back down, silver stars floating in my eyes from the vertigo.

"Easy there. Are you alright?" Adam asked me once more, carefully helping me lift myself into seated position beside him. "I am so sorry."

"N-No, you're fine. That was… An overreaction on my part," I replied slowly, pushing a piece of hair behind my ear. I breathed slowly for a moment before jumping a bit when Adam rubbed my back comfortingly. "That's a… Neat trick," I continued, laughing quietly to myself and shaking my head to get out the last of my shock. Adam laughed in response, though it sounded a bit tense to my ear.

"Yes, a 'neat' trick." I could hear the quotations in his inflection. "It's usually how I like to get around, but I should have explained it to you before I put you in that position," he said, looking at me with worried eyes. I shooked my head again.

"It's okay. Really. I mean, yes, _some_ explanation would've helped, but it's alright. Just promise me that we can walk back?" Adam smiled in response.

"Of course―anything that is okay with you is okay with me." I took another few moments to just close my eyes and breathe in deeply through my nose, out through my mouth. When I finally opened my eyes, I was able to fully process my surroundings.

Perhaps everything had appeared too green to me _because _it was so green in this little meadow. The heavily watered vegetation was brightly colored, not just in jades and evergreens, but in oranges and yellows and reds as the autumn shade crept through the anatomy of the leaves. It seemed as if, in the spring, there would be an abundance of wildflowers but for now there was just overlong grass surrounding us. I pushed myself up off the slightly damp ground, wiped my hands on my jeans and turned myself around to observe the rest of this little bubble. I noticed that Adam was watching me the entire time with a small smile on his lips… As if he were amused by my wonder. He wasn't wrong about my awe.

"Wow," I said quietly, tilting my head back to look up at the sky which had become significantly lighter. It was a ghost of a noise, but I was aware that Adam had stood up beside me. He took my hand in his, making me turn my head to look up at him, and we mirrored smiles at each other. "So, this is your favorite place in Forks?" I wondered aloud, using my free hand to tuck a piece of hair behind my ear. Adam nodded in response.

"If you listen carefully, all that you can hear is the world continuing on as it always has and always will. It can be… Therapeutic, I suppose, to escape to a place where I don't have to hear others thoughts and feel the noise around me. The silence is so pure… Even now." I was reminded once more that when Adam sent out his mental probes, my brain seemed to have developed a fire wall. Maybe I had something wrong with me that caused this. Maybe I was just on a different wavelength. I nodded my head then, looking back around me at the scene.

"I certainly see the appeal. It just _smells _so good," I commented, breathing in deeply and welcoming in the scent of rain on the freshly fallen leaves. "It's so beautiful."

My voice was quiet, and Adam's was even quieter; that didn't stop me from hearing him murmur, "So are you." My cheeks warmed at his words. Would I ever get used to his compliments?

The same words coming from my mouth seemed unnecessary in my mind. After a century and a half, Adam probably did not need to be told that he was so incredibly handsome that sometimes it felt as if I were looking at the sun. I was, once again that day, incredibly grateful that Adam couldn't hear my thoughts.

I pulled my hair over my one shoulder, looking at the damp, green ground before casting my eyes back up to meet his. "So… Time to walk home?" I wondered. Adam smiled warmly down at me.

"Of course. We'll take it nice and easy, considering your proclivity towards danger." I made a face at him, remembering that he would not budge if I chose to push him.

"_Ha-ha_, very funny." We began to walk hand in hand through the trees. Adam had hopped down to help me off the fallen tree we had come across some time later when I finally spoke again. "How does the running… _thing _work? I'm curious," I wondered, putting my hand on Adam's shoulder and trying to avoid blushing when his arm wrapped around my waist momentarily.

"The running _thing_," Adam started, an amused look crossing his features, "is as easy to me as breathing is to you. It's as if the world slows down around me as opposed to me blurring through it. It's easier to rely on instinct than it is to pay attention to what's in front of you, though―it's a feeling rather than an action." I nodded as he spoke. While I was completely interested in his explanation, I was also listening to his deep, smooth voice which was filled with thoughtfulness. He had obviously spent a lot of time thinking about this feeling in particular. I wondered what it was like to explain it to someone who didn't know exactly what he was talking about.

"So you don't ever worry about tripping or running into anything?" I asked, thinking of my own attempts at traversing this forest. Adam chuckled in response.

"No, I never have. If anything, I'd be more concerned for the thing that I would run into. It would take a hell of a lot to distract me," he explained.

"_Fast as a speeding bullet, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound,_" I said with my best impersonation of a 1950s radio voice. "And you say you're not a superhero." Adam laughed at me and rolled his cobalt blue eyes.

"You are one funny girl," he responded, shaking his head while I smiled up at him.

"Like I didn't already know that," I replied. "Is that a bad thing?"

"Oh no, it's refreshing. It's been a long time since someone's been so… Unguarded around me. I'm sure that you've noticed that my siblings and I aren't the most approachable people from afar." I shrugged at his observation, though I didn't disagree.

"That is true―I have to say you weren't the _most_ welcoming when I first moved to Forks." I bit my lip, remembering that first day which seemed a distant memory even if it had only been a few weeks before. How fast things could change. I noticed that Adam cringed slightly when I mentioned it.

"Again, I apologize for that. I hadn't expected someone like you to walk through the door that day."

"Someone like me?"

Adam looked thoughtful again as he developed a response. "I suppose I shouldn't say it that way. You surprised me, for once in my existence. I had finally settled into the routine of the school, adjusted to everyone around me, then you walked through the cafeteria doors and… I was caught off guard, to say the least."

I could feel my cheeks warming as he described seeing me for the first time. "And then when I couldn't hear you thinking, it frustrated me more than I had been in quite some time. It also didn't help that I was-" He paused, an apprehensive expression crossing his face. I raised an eyebrow curiously and received a sigh. "I hadn't eaten in quite a few days."

Images raced through my head as I tried to imagine Adam in full hunting mode. The picture didn't seem to stick, thankfully, regardless of reality.

"Oh," I replied shortly, looking forward to avoid Adam catching the mildly scared look in my eyes. I had promised him that I would try to understand, but I still needed time. I still needed to learn so much about him. I also still needed to come to terms that a large part of my boyfriend (the word didn't feel right in my mouth just yet) craved my blood.

Adam nodded solemnly as we continued to walk through the trees. Some time later, we reached the edge of the trees where Adam's car remained parked. It was as if the sky had held out long enough for us to return from the meadow and had decided to return to its constant; rain began to patter against the top of my head as Adam held open the passenger side door for me. Just a moment later, he was seated beside me and starting the engine. He pulled a u-turn back on to the highway and fiddled with his phone. I wondered just how many songs he had stored on that thing.

"Can I pick something?" I wondered, offering my palm up.

"Oh―yes. Sure." Adam handed me his iPhone, which of course didn't have a case on it, since he would never have to worry about dropping it. _Of course. _I thumbed down through his various playlists, of which there seemed to be at least fifty, each with hundreds of songs listed.

"Is there a song you _haven't_ heard?" I wondered aloud, receiving a laugh.

"You may be hard pressed to find one," Adam replied. "I even have a couple albums worth of ancient monk chants."

"You're kidding," I answered, raising my eyebrow.

"You probably wish that I was." With a quiet giggle, I did acknowledge the playlist named_ Monastery _and continued to scroll. I was interested in the word _Home _as I made my way down and was surprised to find one of my favorite songs leading the list. Soon, the quiet plucking of guitar strings filled the car. I sang quietly along to the first few lines:

_Home is where I want to be,__ pick me up and turn me round..._

"I'm guessing that you're a fan of the Talking Heads then?" Adam wondered, casting his eyes my way as I placed his phone on the center console between us. I nodded in response.

"I remember dancing in the kitchen with my mom to 'Psycho Killer' when I was probably five years old." I smiled at the memory before continuing. "Although, I do like this cover a lot. Iron and Wine has always been a favorite of mine, too."

"We'll have to swap playlists one day. So far as I can tell, you have good taste. Also, your mom sounds like she's quite the good time," he commented, taking my hand now that it was free of his phone. I laughed to myself and tucked a piece of hair behind my ear.

"You can definitely say that. She's much more… Outgoing than I've ever been. You can count on Jane to be the center of the party," I added, fondly thinking of my mom; one moment, she was so serious and so ladylike, then the next moment, she was throwing her head back, laughing until she couldn't breathe. I got another pang of homesickness in that moment.

Images of Adam one day meeting my mother made my heart palpitate ever so slightly.

"You're not exactly a wallflower from what I've gathered. You seem to be getting on just fine for having just moved here." I shrugged at Adam's observation.

"I just happened to sit next to the right people on the right day. I guess that I got lucky," I rationalized, realizing just how lucky I was that I had been seated beside Adam that day. I wonder if things would have been the same if we didn't have any classes together; would we still have started talking? Would he have felt the same connection to me? I ran several scenarios in my head as we drove along, Adam's car hugging the curves of the road.

We were back at my house in no time at all―the beginnings of "From Eden" were just starting to play as we pulled into my driveway. The two of us climbed out and hurried on to my front steps to avoid the now steady rainfall.

Under the protection of the porch, I pulled out my keys from my bag, jingling them in my hand out of nervous habit.

"Well, I'm really glad we got to do today, even if you scared me half to death," I teased, smiling up at him before glancing back down. "So… I guess I'll see you at school tomorrow?" I asked as I scooped a piece of hair behind my ear.

"Yes, you will," Adam replied, standing in front of me with his hands in his pockets. We stood there for a long, tense moment, the time seeming to tick by at a snail's pace. I was absently aware that I was still shifting my keys in between my fingers until Adam grabbed my hand to silence the metal clinking. I had looked down momentarily but the sudden movement brought my attention back up to those deep blue eyes of his; it had also brought my attention to how close our faces had become.

My mouth opened ever so slightly as I licked my lips, which appeared to have gone dry in that moment.

"Brynn… What would you say if I were to-" Adam looked down at my lips as he spoke, "kiss you?" His pupils flashed up to my own quickly as the words left his mouth.

"I…I…" My cheeks went ablaze; I was at a loss for words. Of course I _wanted_ him to−I had wanted to kiss Adam from the very moment I laid my eyes on him− but here he was, standing before me in all of his glory and all I could think of were my shortcomings. In comparison, I was just a little girl who had now gotten herself in too deep with Adonis's younger, hotter brother.

Before I could articulate a coherent response, Adam had taken it upon himself to answer for me.

"Here−Let me help," he said with a smile before he closed the space between our lips. For a moment, I was shell-shocked. I stood for a second, my hands frozen at my sides and my eyes wide. Then, as if a cog started turning in my brain once more, my body recognized just who I was kissing. I found myself standing on the balls of my feet so I could properly slip my arms around Adam's neck; I was acutely aware of Adam's hands on my hips and how they felt almost too soft.

In that short moment, I could tell that I would never get tired of kissing him. No one else could have compared; His lips were just so damn _soft _but that didn't mean that I couldn't feel the strength behind them. My one hand slipped from his neck to his chest as I shifted to deepen the kiss but unfortunately, as quickly as the kiss had begun, it was ended when Adam held my face in his hands and pulled me away easily. I frowned, my brow furrowing, and he chuckled quietly.

"Eager, aren't we?" he asked, amused by my reaction. I glared at him, releasing his neck, and crossed my arms over my chest. "Oh, Brynn−Please, don't be like that," he said, uncrossing my arms and holding them at my sides. No way was I going to fight his grasp.

"I was enjoying myself," I replied petulantly.

"So was I, but I needed to test something out for myself."

"Test?" A questioning eyebrow rose on my forehead.

"It's just… Well, I haven't done this before with someone like you and… I was more so testing my resistance than, well… You know," he said, startlingly inarticulate. Had I gotten him _flustered?_ I stared at him for a minute and found myself looking over his features rather than being mad at him. Damn it, would I ever be able to stay frustrated with him?

"What do you mean by someone like me?" I wondered, one hand on the curve of my waist.

"Someone who's human," Adam answered plainly.

"And what's this about your resistance?" I questioned and looked him square in the eye.

"Brynn, I have to tell you, standing right here with you is like… I don't know…" He was silent for a moment as he thought. "Okay, let's say standing next to you feels like being five years old in a candy shop."

"What do you mean?" He sighed and let go of my arm to run a hand through his hair.

"You're the candy and I'm the five-year-old." I swallowed slightly, grateful for the warmth that was coming back to the arm that Adam had released. "So when I'm close to you like that… Well you can imagine how difficult it would be to resist that sweetness," he explained, lifting both of his hands to each side of my face. "I don't want to hurt you, so, please don't be mad."

"I'm… not," I replied slowly, staring into his apologetic eyes. "But Adam, am I really that sweet?" He laughed and let his hands fall into his pockets.

"Okay, perhaps sugary sweet isn't the right word to describe you." I wondered if that was a compliment or not. "You smell like... lemon and coconut and... and it's like you have the ocean running in your veins." I blushed at his admission; what a thing it was to be compared to the ocean itself. "Just imagine that you are a bottle of the world's best champagne−I want to avoid becoming an alcoholic."

"Well, when you put it that way…" I answered quietly, glancing down at my house keys which must have dropped from my hand during our kiss.

"If that gives you some kind of understanding, then I just have to ask you to be patient with me. We both have a lot to learn," he explained with a kind smile. As he spoke, he had pushed a piece of hair away from my face and continued to hold my cheek as he looked down. It took everything in me not to test his patience some more. "In the meantime, I'll let you get inside; I think I can hear your father coming home. I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Of course. Tomorrow," I repeated, smiling, before Adam leaned down to kiss my forehead. "Let me know when you get home safe," I added, out of force of habit. Adam smirked down at me.

"I think I should be okay, but I'll text you. Goodnight." With an incredibly swift kiss to the lips, Adam walked back to his car, hands in pockets. I watched as he pulled out of my driveway, still a little shell shocked by our exchange.

_It's like you have the ocean running in your veins. _I never thought I'd have a boy tell me such pretty things. I reminded myself that Adam just wasn't any boy, however.

Like Adam had guessed, John and my father pulled into the driveway a few moments later. I bent down to grab my keys and when I stood back up, Michael was walking up the stairs with his coat held up over his head to block the rain. I waved at John as he pulled out of the driveway.

"Hey Brynny, what're you doing out here on the porch? How was school?" my father asked, using his own keys to push open the front door. I followed in after him, asking myself, _School? I had school today?_

"Good, I guess. We went over some problems for a chemistry exam I have later this week and I got to see pictures from the dance," I replied, dropping my bag next to the couch and throwing my jacket over the cushion.

"Oh, well that's good." Michael walked past me and placed his own bag beside mine. Now I understood where I got that habit from―it had driven my mom insane whenever I did that. "Did you just get home though? Did you have something after school?"

I looked at him for a second, calculating what his reaction to Adam would be._ Eh, _I thought._ He'll live._

"Yeah, actually. I was hanging out with Adam," I answered in my best attempt at a casual tone. My father raised his eyebrows at me while he placed a stack of files on our kitchen counter.

"Adam? You mean Adam Wood? That boy you went to the dance with?" I made an affirmative noise and nodded while I went to grab a granola bar from the pantry. I was irked by his use of the word "boy"; in my mind, Adam was much, _much_ more than just some boy. "Are you two dating or something?"

"Well… Yeah, I guess we are," I answered, making my way back to the couch.

"Wait―I'm playing catch up here. When did this happen, young lady?" Michael asked in a fatherly tone. I resisted rolling my eyes at his question.

"I mean, we've been talking for a little while but Friday night, we… We just decided we'd give it a try. He's a really good guy, Dad." I did my best to make it sound like any other start to a relationship as opposed to _Yeah, Dad, he saved from being a car sandwich with his mysterious vampire powers and now your daughter's dating someone 10 times her age._ I looked back up at him and saw his brow furrowed in either anger or confusion.

"Well... if that's the case, then I would like to meet him personally. That's the... fatherly thing to do, right?" This time, I couldn't resist the short laugh that bubbled up from me.

"Yeah, I guess it'd be your best shot at pulling off the 'big, bad, protective father' act, Dad," I teased, folding my feet beneath me as I clicked on the TV to the same home improvement show that always seemed to be on.

"Hey, don't be a smart ass." I laughed again. "I'm serious, Brynn. We'll set up a dinner or something soon. It's my responsibility to be the big, bad, protective father." He sat on the other side of the couch as he spoke, tossing a single file onto the coffee table in front of us.

"Okay, Dad. Whatever you want―I'm sure Adam would be more than happy to work something out."

"Soon," Michael said sternly, before chuckling and shaking his head. Even he knew the act wasn't entirely natural just yet. We sat beside one another in silence after that; I'm sure my father's mind drifted to the rather dense file in his hands, while my mind drifted to the feeling of Adam's lips that still tingled on mine.

. . .

Soon was much longer a time period than my father had intended.

Just a few days after I had mentioned my relationship with Adam, Michael had a case dropped on his desk that required weeks and what turned into months of bickering with clients and traveling and general painstaking attention to detail. I wasn't entirely upset by this development.

It was now the dead of winter, and while it never got horrendously cold, it rained or snowed nearly every single day, making me question my sanity in choosing to live in the rainiest town in the country. But then I was reminded that my rather insane decision had a sane explanation now.

_Adam_.

I opened the door for my source of sanity at precisely seven o'clock nearly three months after my father had first brought up having dinner. The jitters that had racked through me the entire day must have been present on my face as I greeted Adam with a tight hug, which he returned before running a delicate hand down my hair.

"Well hello to you too...What's wrong?" Adam whispered in my ear. I felt a shiver roll down my spine as his cool breath tickled my neck.

"You and dinner don't exactly mix," I answered, looking down once he had released me and playing with the bottom of my black blouse.

"I think that I've worked around it." I looked back up to find his incredibly bright cobalt gaze. He hadn't been in school the day before, much to everyone's surprise, since it had bucketed rain that day. Everyone had grown so accustomed to Adam and his family being absent only on the few sunny days that his singular absence peaked interest around school; I had answered the question _Where's Adam?_ more often that day than I would have cared to. I had told my friends that he had a stomach bug, but I knew that my boyfriend was far from bedridden.

He had gone hunting to prepare for this night. While it was still an uncomfortable image in my head, I knew that hunting was a necessary evil. It was, at the very least, comforting to know that the only things in danger were the local fauna and not the actual locals.

The day away from Adam had given me the opportunity to notice just how much we had integrated the other into each of our lives. We had spent the past three months spending more and more time together, to the point that there hadn't been a day in the last month that I hadn't see Adam. School obviously afforded us plenty of opportunities, but then we would spend our afternoons lazily reading books in the local coffee shop or sitting on my couch watching movies whenever my dad wasn't home.

He had become as much of a constant in my life as the sky above. I still wasn't quite sure how I deserved to be so lucky, and I didn't think I would ever understand.

However, the day apart from Adam had helped me to remember that, while I loved being part of an "us", I still needed time to myself every once and awhile.

"How?" I wondered, continuing to hold his gaze, concerned.

"Please don't worry." With that, he kissed my forehead and stood straight again. I whirled around and saw that my dad had walked into the room, a skeptical look crossing his features. "Hello, Mr. Sloane," Adam greeted him, my favorite grin on his lips.

"Hello, Adam." Michael returned the greeting in a strained voice and shook his hand, by the looks of it, firmly. He pulled away quickly, reacting to Adam's cold grip. "Did you happen to stick your hand into a freezer recently?" he asked, staring up at him.

"Oh," Adam laughed, "when I was driving, I had my arm out the window. Sorry about that." Michael eyed him again then snorted silently to himself.

"Gotcha. Erm," my father hesitated, casting his eyes up and down Adam before continuing. "I'm not sure you could be growing anymore, but I am sure you're a hungry guy. Let's get some dinner in us," Michael suggested, leading the two of us into the rarely used dining room. Much like the other rooms in the house, the walls were painted a muted gray with white trim. There was a mirror that ran the length of one wall; the opposite wall housed three abstract paintings filled with grays, blues, and whites. A rectangular glass table stood in the middle; I had had to wipe some dust off it before setting three placemats at one end of the table.

I swallowed nervously as Adam held my seat open for me and I sat, fidgeting with the white cloth in my lap. I was just glad I was sitting with the mirror to my back so I wouldn't have to watch my nervous expression throughout dinner. I felt him rub my shoulder quickly in reassurance before taking the seat across from me. Of the two chairs that were at the ends of the table, my dad took the one in between Adam and I, the concerned look still stuck on his face.

I wondered how long this act would continue. I was sure my dad was just trying to put on the best fatherly face he could manage, but it mustn't have felt natural. Not that he wasn't a good dad, because he was, but he just wasn't used to dealing with the boy stuff. My mom had been there for the more complicated years; this was uncharted territory for my poor father… But he didn't have to pretend to be such a hard ass.

"So, what is for dinner?" Adam's cheery question pulled me out my daze. I shook my head slightly, a move that Michael wouldn't catch, but Adam definitely would. In return, Adam sent a short glance my way, a small smile pulling on the corner of his mouth..

"Spaghetti and meatballs," my father replied, his face lighting up a bit more because spaghetti seemed to be his favorite; that was most likely because it was his best-made dish.

"Oh, great," Adam said, smiling. "That's one of my favorites." It took everything not to snort at the phrase. Maybe Adam's mind reading would come in handy for the time being, but that wouldn't make this dinner any more appealing.

Regardless, Adam received the reaction he was hoping for―Michael flashed a smile in his direction before remembering his act. "Good. Then I'll be back in just a minute." With that, he walked out of the room, presumably into the kitchen, which left Adam and I with a moment alone.

"One of your favorites, huh?" I asked, lifting an eyebrow at him. He shrugged his shoulders, clad in one of my favorite sweaters.

"Italian food wasn't necessarily all the rage when I was growing up...but what would stop me from liking it now?" he countered, sending a pearly grin back my way. I rolled my eyes and snorted in response; I was glad he was somehow finding the humor in this.

Michael walked back into the dining room carrying a large glass bowl filled with the offending dish. It smelled absolutely delicious; I could only imagine how unappealing to Adam's nose. My father nestled a pair of large, silver serving forks into the pasta and grabbed the garlic bread he had made earlier that night from the table beneath the mirror.

Adam took a deep breath in and made an appreciative noise in the back of his throat. "That smells great, Mr. Sloane." _Everything was just great tonight_, I thought. I also noticed that he set his shoulders back slightly, as if readying himself for battle.

"Yeah, Dad, it really does," I agreed, playing into our charade. I was about as hungry as Adam must have been; my stomach was still too tied up in knots to even think about food. I didn't notice until the words left my mouth, however, that I sounded just as strained as I felt. Maybe I wasn't as good an actress as I thought I was.

I felt Adam tap his foot against mine in what I assumed was a comforting gesture. I smiled quickly back at him and hoped my dad wasn't paying too much attention. Thankfully, this was the case and Michael went about serving our dinner.

"Tell me when, Adam," Michael said, piling on a spoonful of spaghetti and then another.

"That's fine," Adam said, the tiniest bit of terror scarring his otherwise smooth voice. My dad nodded, placing the plate in front of Adam and serving four meatballs on top. Then he handed over my plate―it was a half serving of Adam's. I could have sworn I heard a simultaneous gulp come from the two of us.

My father settled himself back into his seat, plate filled with steaming spaghetti, before he spoke again. "So, Adam―" He paused to sprinkle some parmesan cheese atop his meatballs, causing my nose to wrinkle in response. "I never really got the full story of how you ended up in Forks." Adam had twirled some of his pasta around his fork and carefully lifted it to his lips while Michael spoke. I watched with muted guilt as he slid the fork into his mouth, his shoulders hunching ever so slightly.

Dinner. It _had_ to be dinner.

At this point, I would have preferred to have met in a boardroom and discussed the birds and bees with my father rather than put Adam through this.

He cleared his throat before answering. "When we first moved from the East Coast, we lived in Seattle for a couple of years―right in the Wallingford area. It was really nice but Eliz-I mean, my mom preferred to live in an actual small town, especially with seven of us living together. Eventually, my dad found out that the hospital was offering a really good position, so we decided to move up here," he answered, pushing around his dinner with his fork.

"I could see how five kids could be a little much in some of those houses," Michael responded, sipping at the beer in front of him. "And I'm sure you get a lot more bang for your buck out here― it's definitely a reason that the commute is worth it for me." Adam nodded, taking another bite of his dinner.

Another infinitesimal lurch.

I winced.

"Now, how did people as young as your parents end up with five kids in high school? I've done business with your father a few times and he doesn't look a day over thirty-five."

"Well, James was my dad's resident at the hospital in New York and they became friends after a while. After my parents'... accident, they said it only felt right that they should take me in, considering both my father and mother were only children." It was my dad's turn to nod as he listened to Adam. I was glad to see that the grumpy look had left his features― maybe he was just as taken with the way my boyfriend spoke as I was. "I was about… eight years old when they adopted me. Then, as the years went on, they realized they could do a lot more for kids like me, and started fostering my brothers and sisters a few years down the line."

"Sounds like your parents are the most compassionate people this side of the hemisphere," Michael commented. Adam chuckled in response.

"You could definitely make a case for it," he replied.

Listening to their conversation pulled on my heartstrings. I had yet to meet Adam's parents for two reasons. The first was, to be completely honest, that I was terrified of meeting them. Not that I thought they would eat me or something like that.

No. I was afraid they wouldn't like me.

I hadn't voiced this fear to Adam yet, but I had a feeling he knew. The second reason was that he and I were still in the beginning of our relationship. I didn't want to rush and all the sudden fall in love with these incredibly compassionate people, then have the rug pulled out from beneath me if Adam ever decided that I wasn't good enough… That he'd prefer someone less… breakable.

I knew I was being a self-conscious wimp. I tried not to linger on the thought.

"When I first lived with them, I could be a bit… Difficult, since everything was so new and I didn't really know how to mourn the life I had had before. But as I got older, I came to respect them as much as I would my own parents. I owe them everything that I have."

"That's very nice to hear from a young man like you," Michael said, glancing at me, his eyes more approving than they had been. I couldn't help but fix his sentence in my head. In actuality, Adam was old enough to be my father's great, great grandfather. He wasn't the young man that my father imagined him to be.

Adam smiled again, taking another bite of his dinner. I acknowledged the visible gag that occurred right after he swallowed, the indent between my eyes deepening in concern. I thanked my lucky stars that Michael had become transfixed with his own plate of food in that moment.

"So, what were you thinking of studying in college? Have you applied to any schools?" my dad wondered, eating a rather large bite, his mouth open enough to show him chewing.

"Er―I've sent in applications to Dartmouth and Yale… Harvard. I had been thinking of studying medicine like my father, but I might get into law. Law has always interested me a little bit more than chemistry." My father stared at him with raised brows, his mouth a bit slack. I stifled the laugh that wanted to come up from my lungs.

Mr. Barbato would have been hurt to hear that.

"Dartmouth? Harvard? I'm guessing you get pretty good grades then?"

"Yeah… School has always been pretty easy for me, I guess. I'm just lucky enough that my parents have encouraged me to try harder, you know?" Adam chuckled, wiping at his mouth with his napkin. I wouldn't have been surprised if he was spitting some of his food into it.

"I'd suppose so…. Brynn? You've been quiet tonight," Michael pointed out and I flicked my eyes away from Adam's face.

"Oh―Sorry. I've just been paying attention, I guess," I replied, shrugging my shoulders with a nervous laugh as I picked at a piece of garlic bread. Michael raised an eyebrow, his eyes turning skeptical again as he scrutinized me.

"Feel free to speak up anytime, kid," my dad teased, taking another bite of his dinner. "Speaking of, you've gotten in all of your applications, right?" I blushed at the mention of the very near future.

"Yes, Dad. Mom had me apply to a lot of places early admission before I got here so I wouldn't have to worry about the address change and all of my transcripts would be the same… I haven't heard back from everyone, though," I explained, aware that Adam was watching me now. I had put off the subject of college purely because it reminded me that I had a life that I had been planning before I stumbled into this complicated and ultimately supernatural existence.

"Good. Are you still hoping for Princeton?" I tucked a piece of hair behind my ear while Adam tilted his head to the side slightly.

"I mean, yeah, that's the goal. They're the best for political science," I explained, meeting my boyfriend's eyes momentarily. I had mentioned only a few times my desire to work in politics, since it hardly seemed to be the most interesting thing about me, nor the most interesting thing that Adam and I had to talk about during our time together. I had that future in front of me (possibly) and I was far more interested in Adam's past.

"There's always the legal track…" Michael said, his eyebrows raising in a convincing manner. His eyes flashed to Adam, who had once again become preoccupied with his plate, before returning to me.

"I'm only a senior in high school, Dad. Let's put off the law school talk for a few years," I replied, taking a bite of my dinner as if to end the conversation. For someone that had always had a five year plan, I had become uncharacteristically focused on the present.

The future... or rather, _our _future just seemed so… Terrifyingly open-ended.

My dad seemed to pick up on the finality of my tone and instead turned the conversation back on Adam. I watched as Michael released an onslaught of questions for my boyfriend: he asked about what kind of law Adam would want to get involved in, if he liked living in Forks as opposed to Seattle, if he played any sports―my dad seemed a bit shocked by the negative answer. Adam quickly edited his response by saying that he swam every day at the aquatic club; his muscles fit too snugly beneath his light blue button up to not be in use every day.

I was glad that my father was keeping the conversation at a steady enough pace that it didn't afford Adam much time to focus on his dinner. The less he ate, the less guilty I would feel. In the meantime, Adam's persistent charm made me feel more at ease. There was a small inkling in the back of my mind that he simply couldn't help it―Had becoming a vampire only amplified those traits that made him more attractive to other people? Other humans? I was shaken from the thought by my father laughing at a joke that Adam had made.

"I have to say Brynn, you seemed to have lucked out with this guy," my dad said, standing up and clapping Adam's shoulder as he went back into the kitchen to refill his glass of wine. I giggled to myself, because it was completely true. _What weird luck_, I thought while my eyes followed him out of the room before focusing on Adam across from me.

"Are you okay?" I whispered, acknowledging the opening of the fridge in the other room.

"I'd feel better if you took the rest of this," Adam answered, moving so fast that I wouldn't have registered movement if it had not been for the extra food that appeared on my plate.

"Oh! Yeah, of course." I took a big bite to compensate for what had been added to my dinner before my dad walked back into the dining room.

"Glad to see you that finally got around to eating―I'm sorry that I kept you talking for so long," Michael apologized, taking his seat at the head of the table once more. Adam had composed himself once again and chuckled.

"Don't worry about it, Mr. Sloane. It was absolutely delicious ― Thank you again."

"It was a pleasure. I'm just glad I got to meet this mysterious boyfriend that Brynn's been spending all this time with these last couple months. Adam, can I get you any coffee?" To this, Adam shook his head.

"No, no. I'm fine. Maybe some more water?" _Something to wash everything down, _I thought before my dad said my name.

"Do you want to grab that?" Michael asked, sipping from his wine glass. I hesitated, looking at Adam apprehensively before nodding.

"Uh, sure." I placed my napkin on the table and shuffled into the kitchen quickly to decrease the amount of time they would have on their own. I wondered just how much willpower Adam had left in him as I tilted a tall glass against the fridge's water dispenser. As I strode back into the room, I caught the tail end of what would have been, to my father's ear, a hushed conversation. I halted on the other side of the doorway as I listened to Michael speak.

"I like you, Adam, but if you hurt her in any way, I won't apologize for what I'll do to you, understood?"

Adam voice was very low as he replied; he could probably tell I was breathing on the other side of the wall. "Understood, Mr. Sloane. I couldn't ever imagine hurting someone as… special as your daughter."

"I'm glad to hear it. I'll cut the bad guy act out now―Just thought it needed to be said." When I turned the corner, my boyfriend was simply nodding before he smiled up at me.

"Thank you, Brynn," he said, taking the glass from me and taking two long drags of water. I noticed that his voice didn't quite sound as velvety smooth as it normally did, but that was because I was so attuned to it now; my dad wouldn't have been able to tell the difference. Instead, Michael was checking his watch.

"Wow, I hadn't realized that it was so late. I forgot that I have this damned conference call in the morning with an office on the east coast, which means I'll have to be up at God knows what hour. You two are more than welcome to hang out in the living room if you don't have to be home by a certain time?" The question was posed to Adam, who didn't seem to have been relieved by his gulps of water.

"I don't have a curfew usually, but I think my parents were thinking about going hiking in the morning. I should get going," Adam replied, placing his napkin on the table beside his empty plate and standing. "Thank you again, sir. I'm glad we finally got to meet this way." He offered my dad, who had stood up as well, his palm and they shook hands. I wondered if Michael would still be off-put by how cold Adam's hand would have been after all this time inside.

"Get home safe, okay? It's icy out there," my dad warned, before stacking our plates together and placing the mostly empty bowl of pasta on top. "I'm just going to clean up and get to bed. I'll try not to wake you in the morning, Brynny."

"Oh, okay. I'll talk to you tomorrow, Dad. I'm just going to see Adam out, okay?"

"Of course. Goodnight." With that, Michael kissed my forehead and strode into kitchen, leaving us in the dining room alone once more.

"C'mon," I offered, motioning towards the front of the house. "Let's get some fresh air in you." Adam nodded, his face, which had remained animated most of the night, falling as he put his arm around my shoulders. The motion would have looked affectionate if my dad looked away from the sink as we walked past, but I could tell that Adam was resting his weight ever so slightly on me.

The winter's cold breeze was sharp as knives on my skin in comparison to the blazing warmth that was my home. The night was inky black, the early sunset completely forgotten; The only light that shone now was the full, alabaster moon above. It cast a luminescent glow onto the front lawn, which was fortunately free of snow.

"Adam, what do you need?" I wondered, rubbing his back for a short moment before he lifted his arm from my shoulders.

"Just a minute, please," he replied, moving quickly away from me and towards the hedges that outlined one side of our property. He sank to his knees in front of a bush that was hidden from my view, his hands clasped on the back of his neck. It appeared as if he was taking in deep gusts of chill air, calming himself for a minute or two, before his head lurched forward in an entirely human motion. I turned my head the moment I heard the gag carry itself on the wind towards my ears. The dinner my father had just made us was not the only thing that was in Adam's stomach. I would never forget the glimpse of deep crimson red I caught before my eyes snapped shut.

I wasn't entirely sure how long I listened to his quiet retching before the night was no longer disturbed by the sound. I opened my eyes in response to the silence and warily looked in Adam's direction.

He was standing up shakily and wiping his mouth off on the sleeve of his shirt. I began to walk over to him but he put up his hand, stopping me from coming any further. I came to a halt, wrapping my arms around myself because I suddenly felt just how cold it was outside. He wiped at his upper lip once more, removing the last bit of blood that clung to his skin before releasing a quick breath. Our eyes met once again; his expression told me that I could proceed with caution. I couldn't help but race in his direction.

"Oh my God, are you okay?" I asked quickly, throwing my arms around his neck. He stood there for a second, frozen, before hugging me close against him. He took a deep breath and released it slowly, kissing my forehead.

"Yeah… I'm better now. Thank you," he answered in a soft whisper. I was aware that he was rolling up his sleeves behind my back, hiding the evidence. "I'm sorry that you had to see that," he continued, nestling his face in my hair. I hugged him tighter in response.

"I'm more sorry that you had to go through that. I should have suggested something else, I should have told him that you're allergic to gluten―I don't know. I should ha-" I was silenced when Adam pulled away ever so slightly so that he could press his thumb to my lips. The rest of his hand laid on my cheek, cool but warm in comparison to the winter chill.

"_Shhh_, Brynn. You didn't need to do anything differently. This was just… A hurdle that we got over. It's done now and I'm okay and you're okay… An-and you're so... _warm_." His voice trailed off while his thumb tugged my bottom lip down slowly, his eyes trained on the movement before meeting mine. I was struck by their darkness, which was so different from the cobalt blue I had been greeted by earlier that evening. I was also aware of the heat that stirred in them, the overwhelming craving that was present in those midnight irises.

Slowly, he bent his mouth down towards mine, his lips parted ever so slightly. Despite my heart thudding in my chest, I let my eyes flutter closed as our lips met, cool against hot. His arms pulled me closer against him, our bodies molding to fit the shape of the other.

I had kissed only a few guys in my life but they now seemed like a couple drops of water compared to the entire ocean. I had gotten so used to the chasteness that had followed our first kiss three months before―small pecks between classes, forehead kisses, close hugs― that I had forgotten just how his kiss had made me feel the first time. His lips were just so damn strong but unbelievably soft; I revelled in the feeling of his hands clasping at my sides as he held me tight. I wasn't sure how long we were there, clinging to one another in the cold before Adam seemed to remember himself and pulled away.

"I'm sorry," he murmured, looking down at me and wiping away a piece of hair that clung to the side of my face.

"You don't have to be sorry at all," I said breathlessly, unweaving my fingers from his hair and placing one hand on his chest, over the area where his heart should have been beating. "You didn't hurt me."

"I know… I thought maybe you'd be more upset that I just kissed you after getting sick," he said with a chuckle that didn't sound too humorous.

"Oh. Yeah." I wrinkled my nose at the thought and ignored the iron taste that lingered on my tongue. "It-It's fine. I certainly wasn't thinking about it," I told him, stroking the back of his neck slowly as I spoke.

"Right. You were… Otherwise, preoccupied," Adam murmured, looking down at my lips once more. I wondered if he would kiss me again. I sure as shit hoped so.

"Brynn?" he asked after a quiet moment, one of his hands reaching up to tuck a piece of hair behind my ear and remaining on the side of my face.

"Yes?" I continued to gaze up at him with starry eyes. Kristen would have teased me endlessly for looking so dazed in that moment.

"May I ask you something? And you can feel free to say no."

"Sure. Anything." My head tilted in question.

And there on my lawn, in the cold breezy night, my handsome, centuries-old boyfriend looked down at me and asked,"Do… Do you mind if I… if I stay with you tonight?"


	7. Compromise

"What?" I asked in a small voice, eyes wide. The hand that had been smoothing over the nape of his neck stopped abruptly as I considered if I had actually heard him correctly.

"I asked if you would mind if I stayed with you tonight." Adam's voice was soft, back to its velvet cadence. "I understand if you want to say no, I just-"

"No! I mean, not _no_, but I don't… I'm just trying to play catch up here. You want to stay here… with me… with my dad down the hall." I spoke slowly, my brain sluggishly wrapping around the idea.

"Well… Yes. I… I mean, my family was going hunting tonight and going back to my house now, where I'd be alone, when I would rather stay with you seems just… Nonsensical." My head nodded ever so slightly; I could see his point but I still was considering the matter of my father.

"I-I would love that," I started, stuttering over my words as a chill wind brushed against my neck. "But what if my dad hears us? Y'know, coming up the stairs or talking or…" I trailed off at the other possibility but didn't linger too long on the thought.

"He just went upstairs―I wouldn't be surprised if he was going to be asleep in the next five minutes," Adam told me as he reached up again to move a piece of hair that had caught itself on my kiss-dampened mouth. Letting it fall, he then placed both his hands on my shoulders. "I should get you back inside. I can tell you're freezing out here."

Still shocked by the turn of events, I simply nodded my head and allowed him to tuck me under his arm where I could turn away from the cold wind.

I opened the front door slowly, acknowledging the dim light coming from the kitchen. Since being in Forks, I had noticed that my dad liked to have little lights in rooms where he might have to wander in during the night; he turned them on as a nightly ritual. The dull, yellow light made me breath a little easier because this meant that my father had, in fact, already gone upstairs. If I strained my ears, I could hear the water running from the sink in the bathroom that was just off Michael's bedroom.

I held a finger up to my lips in a shushing motion, which earned me an eye squint from Adam. He leaned into my ear and whispered, "I'll see you up there." With a swift kiss on the cheek, he disappeared from my side and instead became a blur up the stairs. His feet didn't make a sound, naturally.

I had forgotten I was dating a vampire for a second there.

Making my own way up the stairs, I didn't feel the need to keep my footfalls silent―I wouldn't have had to sneak up if I was actually alone. For good measure, I called out, "Goodnight, Dad! Dinner was great―I'll see you tomorrow!"

"Of course. Sleep well!" was my dad's response. I listened as the water turned off and the light that flooded from the crack beneath his door went black. I was incredibly grateful that he was willing to put off any conversation about dinner that night until the next morning. Thankfully, my father was as far from confrontational as I was.

I creaked open my door and found Adam seated on the end of my bed, holding my dog-eared copy of _Jitterbug Perfume_. He looked up when my shadow cast itself across his lap and flashed me a smile before patting the bed beside him. I shut the door silently behind me and joined him.

"Was that quiet enough for you?" he wondered in a voice like wind passing through the trees at night, giving me a smirk. I rolled my eyes jokingly in response.

"Plenty quiet. Pardon me for doubting your ability to sneak around in the darkness," I answered, trying to keep my voice as low as possible; at least for the time being. My heart wouldn't fully slow in my chest until I could hear my father's low snore from down the hall.

"I've had a few decades of practice―I guess that would make me an expert."

"Ever thought of joining the C.I.A. and becoming a spy?"

"Once."

I raised my eyebrows at my boyfriend; it was hard to differentiate between fact and fiction when it came to his life.

"Kidding. Mostly. But kidding," he responded, leaning down to place my book where it had previously lain on the floor beside my bed.

"You're ridiculous, you know that, right?" I questioned, a small smile playing on the corner of my mouth as he straightened up beside me.

"Entirely aware. I'm also entirely aware that your heart is beating right through your ribs." My cheeks warmed at his observation. "Are you okay?" he asked, putting his arm around me, his large hand clasping my shoulder.

"Yeah, just… antsy is all. I hadn't seen tonight going this way," I told him, laughing quietly, as I tucked a piece of hair behind my ear. Adam snorted but nodded in understanding.

"To be honest, neither had I. But the more I contemplated it, the more appealing it sounded. It helped to focus on you as opposed to… _dinner_." The word was twisted slightly, as if his mouth didn't taste quite right. In fact, I was sure it didn't.

"I can _definitely _see the appeal." The damned redness beneath my skin refused to let go. "Speaking of, do you want to… y'know, rinse your mouth out a bit? I'm sure it'd help you forget about it," I suggested, standing up again. Adam's eyes casted up to follow me, since I was momentarily taller, and he nodded.

"That _would_ be a good idea…" he trailed off, holding my gaze for a moment longer before reaching his arms out and pulling me close to him. His head rested against my chest; the intimate gesture surprised me, since it inadvertently meant that his face was nestled right beside my boobs, but it didn't seem as though that was his intention. His eyes were closed and he breathed in and out slowly―I realized that he was probably listening to my heart, which made it skip ever so slightly.

"Thank you for saying okay," he murmured, squeezing me tighter around the waist, though I was aware that he had put barely any power into the gesture. He was always so gentle with me, afraid that I would break in half if he hugged me too hard.

I smiled softly down at the head of rich, chocolate brown hair that nestled itself against me, before leaning down and kissing the top of it.

"Of course." My fingers began to absently run through his neatly-groomed hair. "Any time with you is a good time to me," I added quietly while my pulse slowed to the same rhythm of Adam's steady breathing. Seeming to be satisfied with the effect he had on my heartbeat, Adam released my waist and stood up so he once again towering over me.

"I think a bit of Listerine would do me some good," he said as he turned his head in the direction of the door. "Sounds like your dad is settled in too."

"Comforting. C'mon," I whispered before cracking my door open and slid down the hallway with Adam following me. My feet, now bare since my black flats were now kicked beneath the bed, padded softly against the hardwood; Adam's were near silently behind me. I glanced down and noticed that he too had managed to take off his tan desert boots in the time before I climbed the stairs. I absently wondered _just _how much he had to slow himself down to appear normal to other people.

I flicked on the bathroom light, warm and glowy against the mirror. Adam seated himself on the edge of the bathtub, elbows resting on his knees as he watched me rummage through the bottom cabinet for my mouthwash. I pulled out the electric blue bottle and handed it off to him before turning to my reflection in the mirror.

_Oh God_, I thought. My face was ever-so-slightly windburned from standing outside and my hair had come loose from the bobby pins I had used to hold back a few of the shorter pieces in the front. _Good looks, Sloane_. I pulled a hair tie out of the front pocket of my jeans, used it to tie back my hair, then reached into one of the drawers to pull out my makeup remover wipes. I splashed my face a few times with cold water before straightening up and finding Adam standing beside me. He looked at me expectantly, eyebrows raised slightly, before I moved out of the way so he could spit into the sink. I was shaken by the odd, dark purple color that rinsed down the drain.

"That's better," he mentioned quietly, cupping his hand under the water to rinse the stinging mint taste from his mouth.

"I'm sure it is," I muttered into the towel I was drying my face off with, which provided a nice distraction from the red I saw going down the sink when he spat again. I put down the cloth and reached for my toothbrush, hoping to rid myself of the vague iron taste on my tongue. While I brushed my teeth, Adam took his seat on the tub's edge once more. Our eyes met a couple of times, each of us smiling at the other.

I didn't think either of us were expecting the night to turn out like this.

I had hardly planned on having my boyfriend stay in my home for the night, let alone in the same bed. Then my mind drifted, naturally, to the kiss we had shared outside and how there could be more of that to follow.

_Baby steps, Brynn_.

I spat toothpaste into the basin and rinsed out my mouth before pulling my hair from its ponytail. Free from the bobby pins, it fell around my face in loose waves. I jumped slightly when I felt Adam behind me, his hands on my upper arms.

"You look so beautiful right now, you know that?" he whispered in my ear before kissing just below where my pearl studs remained. I shivered at the feeling of his lips on my skin.

_Fuck baby steps_.

"Thank you," I replied quietly, knowing better than to fight Adam on a compliment. I knew that he meant it; there was no need to be self-deprecating in front of him. "You're looking rather handsome yourself," I added for good measure, smirking at him in the mirror's reflection.

"Well, that I can't help," he answered, shrugging his shoulders before squeezing mine lightly. "Let's get you back to bed," he suggested, taking my hand in his and turning off the light just before opening up the bathroom door. I trusted his eyesight in the pitch blackness much more than my own and soon we were both safely back in my bedroom.

Adam perched himself on the end of my mattress, rubbing the back of his neck―a nervous tick I knew all too well. I was going to ask him what was on his mind (though I had a good enough idea of what it was) when he posed a whispered question.

"Don't you want to get into something more comfortable?" I looked down at my jeans and blouse before I met Adam's eyes again. I hadn't considered the fact that I needed to change clothes while he was here.

"Oh. Um. Yes." I hesitated, glancing at the drawer of my dresser that housed my pajamas. "Erm, uh… Just, turn around for a second?" I suggested; Adam raised his eyebrows in return but followed the order, pulling his one leg up onto the bed and turning so he was facing my headboard. My cheeks burned as I rummaged through my drawer, where I came up with my only clean options: a loose, long-sleeved pajama top with white lining that had once been part of a set as well as a pair of black boy shorts.

Calvin Klein may have heard me curse his name in his sleep that night.

"Okay, you're… Good," I told Adam, biting my lip and looking to my sliding door to avoid initial eye contact. The drag of breath I heard was reaction enough.

"That's definitely more...comfortable," he commented; when I finally met his eyes, he gave me a warm smile.

"You're being an extraordinary gentleman." I strode over to join him on the bed, using the throw blanket that covered the end of it to cover up my legs.

"I usually am, aren't I?"

"You are, but I still feel like I should go do laundry so I can have some leggings or something." I snorted quietly to myself and tucked my hair behind my ear.

"Oh, don't be ridiculous. Don't think that my virtue will suddenly be tarnished by the sight of your... admittedly gorgeous legs," he answered, a smirk illuminated by the porch light on his lips. I giggled and looked down to watch his fingers lace in between mine, my head falling on his shoulder.

"Okay, okay, whatever you say." I could have stayed in that position for most of the night, my hand wrapped in his cool fingers and my legs pressed against his, but after a few moments, tiredness got the best of me. I yawned, lifting my free hand to cover my mouth.

Adam's head lifted from where it had rested on top of mine. "Are you tired?" he wondered, releasing my hand to run his palm over the top of my loose curls.

"Not really," I replied, giving the lie away by yawning once more. Adam shook his head, eyes rolling, before standing and pulling me up with him.

"C'mon―it's been a long day." He lifted the covers for me, and while I pouted in his direction, I couldn't deny that lying down felt absolutely blissful.

He was already standing on the other side of the bed by the time I blinked once and was about to get in as well, but I held up my hand. "I have one little request," I said, a tiny, wicked smile creeping onto my face. Even late at night, I still had priorities. "Could you please take off your shirt?"

"Are you serious?" Adam was staring down at me as I sat up and leaned against my chocolate leather headboard.

"I'm asking you to indulge me a bit… And I don't want to get any… _blood_ on my sheets." While the last bit was partly true, since I was eyeing the red stain on his shirt sleeve, I was mostly interested in the indulgence bit. It was the least I could ask for after three months of chastity. "Please."

Adam's marble-like forehead creased and one eyebrow raised in contention. We remained like that for a silent minute, each of us staring at the other in contest. I was surprised that, at the end of the minute, Adam sighed to himself and cast his eyes down.

"You're lucky that you're so convincing in that pajama top," he replied, shaking his head. He unbuttoned the top button of his shirt, revealing the slightest bit more of his collar bone. "Understand that I won't be able to be under the sheets."

I nodded in response. I figured that it would be a fair enough compromise. We were playing a balancing game that night.

My phone lit on the bedside table; the screen told me that my aunt had commented on a photo of me. I turned back in Adam's direction, ignoring the notification momentarily, and found that he had already unbuttoned the rest of his shirt. I gaped as he shrugged out of the light blue fabric, pulling at the sleeves since they must have been snug on his sculpted arms.

I had occasionally guessed at what Adam would look like shirtless, since there hadn't been much intimacy of the physical nature in the beginning of our relationship. I couldn't deny how much I loved just talking with Adam and spending time together, but whenever his shirt would lift ever so slightly to reveal his stomach or his arms would flex with little to no effort, I couldn't help but find myself feeling a bit… frustrated.

This was certainly worth waiting for.

My eyes trailed down his chest, lingering on his stomach that seemed to be that of a Greek god, then landed on the v-shaped curve that his hips created. I found myself biting my lip, imaging running my fingers over that curve and into those incredibly well-fitted jeans…

I was snapped out of my little daydream by Adam clearing his throat while he emptied the pockets of his jeans onto the other bedside table. First his wallet, then his phone, then the rounded key fob to his car; all were stacked neatly in a little pyramid before he lifted the comforter on his side and slid in beside me.

My heart had sped just watching him move; I hoped he wouldn't be able to tell, but I had no such luck. Of course.

"Calm down, Brynn. You're going to have a heart attack at this rate," he warned me with a teasing tone. I rolled my eyes in his direction, muttering "Shut up" like the apparent five year old I was, but rested my head against his shoulder and ran my fingers down his taut arm, trying to focus on that and not my accelerated heartbeat. He grabbed for my hand that had moved to a resting position on top of the comforter.

"Thank you for letting me stay here, though. Even if you are using me for my body," Adam joked, squeezing my hand lightly.

"It's not the only reason," I answered and nestled a little bit more against him. His chilled skin felt like flipping to the cool side of the pillow. "I appreciate the company. I prefer to have someone else in the room when I'm sleeping," I explained.

"Really? I would have thought you were used to sleeping alone―Being an only child and all."

"I mean, I am. I just used to be really afraid of the dark when I was younger, you know? And having someone else there always used to make me feel better―like nothing that my imagination could create could get me when I had someone lying beside me."

Adam nodded, looking up at my dormant ceiling fan. "So you've always had the overactive imagination?" He knew of my ability to overthink every situation, coming to crazy conclusions when I let my mind wander too often. Hell, my overactive imagination had helped me realize just what Adam was without much prompting.

Perhaps it wasn't so overactive. I laughed in response. "Yeah, I guess so."

"So if someone had told you when you were ten years old that you'd be lying in bed with a vampire…?"

"I would have told them that they were crazy and then lie awake all night long, hoping a vampire wouldn't come creeping out of my closet." Adam chuckled quietly to himself.

"We don't _creep_," he replied in an indignant voice, nudging up the shoulder where my temple rested.

"Well, I'm aware of that _now_." I made a face up at him, pausing to stare at the shadows the dulled porch light created on the planes of his face, his features in high contrast. I shook my head slightly, looking back down at where our fingers were interlaced. "I wouldn't have been so scared if I knew that vampires looked like you," I added. "I had some hybrid of Nosferatu and Bela Lugosi in my mind."

"We must have the worst PR representative ever," Adam joked, making me laugh.

"Absolutely terrible," I agreed. Without a second thought, I released Adam's hand and slid my arm around his waist, my face resting on his chest. He smelled so damn _good_―like evergreens after the rain and warm honey. The deep breath I took in was entirely involuntary.

The muscles in his stomach tightened against my forearm and I could hear the short stop in his breath. I had forgotten−I smelled even more delightful the closer I got to him. "Sorry," I murmured, about to pull away when his hand caught the one wrapped around him.

"No. It's alright. You just startled me," he replied a soft voice. I felt him shift down in my direction so that his head rested on the pillow. Then, in the faint light, I saw his navy eyes shining right in front of mine. Breathing in and out slowly, I stared back at him. The hand around him tightened slightly, though I knew he would feel much of a difference against his marble skin. "What are you thinking about?" Adam asked after a few seconds of pure silence.

"Um. "My skin warmed. "J-Just how good you smell. Like, I don't know... The sun coming out after it rains."

He breathed out of his nose sharply, a silent laugh. "The sun, huh?" he questioned and I nearly gasped when I felt his cold hand rub the small of my back through the sheets.

"Yeah. Speaking of which...I still don't really know what happens to you when you're in it," I pointed out. The subject had seemed null since the sun hadn't made an appearance in nearly a month now. Gray seemed to be a permanent state of being for Washington in the winter.

"Er…I'll tell you what… I believe there's going to be nice weather next weekend. I'll show you then."

"Really? And it's nothing bad, is it? Bursting into flames or anything like that?"

"I wouldn't be so eager to show you if those things were to happen, would I?" I could feel him start to maneuver his foot closer to mine, and I desperately wished that I could completely entwine my body with his.

"No, you wouldn't. My God, I must be brain dead."

"You can't think straight because you're tired, Brynn."

"I'm not that tired," I complained, stifling a yawn that I knew Adam could see. "I've stayed up longer than this, and it's Saturday, for Christ's sake. I shouldn't be falling asleep by…" I looked at my side table where the time was barely visible in the darkness, "11:15. That's just not right."

"When you've had the night you have had, it is. Honey, go to sleep. I'll be here… Shirtless." I giggled at what the way he grumpily stated the obvious.

"You really shouldn't have said that. Now I'm going to be up for ages," I teased, snuggling closer to his chest.

"You're lying." I shook my head slowly, my arm tightening yet again around his waist. I kept thinking I might just hug myself out.

"No, I'm not tired. Not now," I whispered, though my eyes closed for a moment too long. His cold body felt so comfortable for whatever reason, my head fitting perfectly into the crook of his arm. We were like pieces of a puzzle being put together for the first time.

I could tell he was shaking his head, but I really didn't care. He could be upset that I was tired, but I would have been up until two o'clock with or without him in my room. It would have been an excellent time for him to be able to read my thoughts, and yet… He only heard silence… Probably for the first time since the nineteenth century. I saw one reason as to why he wouldn't mind spending inordinate amounts of time with me.

It also hit me then that I had never really gotten the full story of how he came into this life, or existence as he would call it. He'd mentioned moments and memories but never the one that changed everything.

There was a blank silence for a minute, and if I didn't know any better I would have thought that he had fallen asleep.

"Adam?" I asked in a childlike whisper, much like the one I used while talking on the phone with my mother.

"Yes?"

I took a deep breath before speaking. "How…" He was silent next to me, his hand now resting back on the curve of my spine. "Never mind."

"What were you about to say?"

"It's nothing, really," I answered, squeezing my eyes tight in frustration. Why did I even open my big mouth?

"Come on… You can ask me anything." God, did I know that for a fact. I let out another sigh and lifted away from him so that I could lean up and look him in the eye.

"Well, I've been wondering… How exactly did you…Get this way?"

"You mean how did I die?" I nodded my head because I really, honestly, could not think of Adam as dead. Something about the concept of him actually lying in a coffin, vulnerable, made me shiver.

"It's… an interesting story," he said, thoughtfully running his hand through his hair. For whatever reason, his crooked smile was faint on his lips… Or at least I saw the corner that was in light turn upward.

"Thing is, I wasn't dead before James changed me," he continued. "I was close to it but still, I was alive enough to know what was happening."

"Does a person have to be dying to be changed?" I interjected curiously.

"No, they could be as alive as you are but it's James' way. He doesn't want anyone to suffer any more pain than they have to." I smiled at his words. I started to wonder if my worries over whether or not Adam's family would like me were pointless. "As I was saying, and it's quite cynical to say this, the funny part of the story was that it was the night before my nineteenth birthday. It was also the first time I had gone out to drink with all of my friends in quite some time…" Adam's eyes were fixed on a spot in the corner of my room as he recalled the story.

"We were down in Five Points, and of course I got mind-numbingly drunk and decided to pick a fight, because I suppose I thought that was a good idea at a time. Unfortunately, the man that I chose as my opponent happened to be one of the top members of the ruling gang. His men didn't seem to take kindly to this kid from uptown trying to make a scene."

I was looking at him with bated breath, watching his eyes. I could read dozens of lives in them. Hearing about Adam's past life reminded me once again that while I knew so much about him already, there was nearly 150 years worth of stories to hear. I could hardly imagine my composed boyfriend getting hammered and picking a fight now, but then again, he was much wiser now than he was back then.

He continued. "It was all very _Gangs of New York_, really. They took me in a back alley and started to beat the everloving life out of me. My mates were even worse off than I was and were otherwise preoccupied with either girls or games. They had hardly noticed when they hauled me out of the pub. I honestly should have known better, but I certainly learned my lesson." I could see the hand that wasn't wrapped around me absently touch a point on the left side of his chest. "I knew I was dying; there was no way to get around that fact… So, I thought I was going crazy from blood loss when I started to hear voices in the alley.

"Elizabeth and James had been staying in a tenement not too far away; the place was disease ridden, and what better doctor could there be than one that mysteriously never got sick and showed no interest in the vices provided?" He swallowed and licked his lips slightly before speaking again. "Elizabeth had smelled the blood first―there was just too much of it for it be an average wound. They'd both come to investigate and lo and behold, they came across me. At the very beginning, I didn't much appreciate the gesture―"

"Why didn't you appreciate it?" I wondered, curious as to why he wouldn't love them for saving his life.

"It's not a particularly enjoyable experience." His tone told me not to delve any further.

"Oh." I tucked a piece of hair behind my ear. "Well, I'm glad they did find you."

"If they hadn't, I wouldn't have had the incredible life I've had… and I wouldn't have ever met you. I'm eternally grateful to them." With that he kissed my forehead and I could sense that that was his way of closing the conversation.

I nestled closer into Adam, my hand on his chest. I traced small designs over his skin while a riot of butterflies fluttered in my stomach as I thought of the concept of gratitude.

I was grateful for Adam. I was grateful for him for making me laugh more, for making me think harder, for making me _feel_ deeper. I felt so strongly for him.

A butterfly seemed to flit into my throat.

I had said "I love you" plenty of times in my life… but it hadn't been the kind of love I was beginning to feel for Adam. The love I felt for my parents, my friends, or even my ex, was nothing like my feelings for the man lying beside me.

And yet… I hadn't managed to find the right time to say it out loud. Something about him turned me inside out and I could completely lose what I was thinking about just because of a mere look in his eye or the way his hand would touch mine. And me being me, I was too afraid of rejection. Too afraid that maybe, when I said it, he wouldn't say it back right away. Or worse, he wouldn't feel the same way. I knew that was ridiculous but the very idea hurt like hell.

There was no way we could back out now, though. I knew something about him that would keep me close to him for… Well, as long as I lived. Then there was the problem of my mortality. I had never, in a million years, thought I would be the kind of girl to say it but… I was beginning to see the perks of losing my mortality in order to spend those million years with this man.

I know. I am, in fact, completely and utterly ridiculous.

"Are you asleep?" Adam wondered in a quiet voice, and I realized I had been silent for quite some time as I pondered over the pros and cons of 'I love you'.

"No. Just... thinking," I replied, playing with my comforter.

"About what, may I ask?" He now had his eyes set on mine, and I nearly felt the probing fingers of his mind try their best to work their way into my own.

Breath shaking, I replied, "You," and received a slight chuckle. "What's so funny?"

"Great minds think alike, I suppose," was the response I received before watching his lips move up to kiss my forehead. Damn him and his proximity. His scent only became stronger when his neck was so close to my face.

I was going to go crazy.

"So I'm guessing you were thinking about me as well?" I questioned, raising my eyebrow in a very Adam-esque fashion.

"Yes, I was. I was thinking about how... How soft your lips are... and how much you must spend on lip balm," he explained, chuckling again while I suddenly became aware of how close his face was.

"Hundreds of dollars a month. My biggest expense, really," I answered, smirking a bit before my apparently soft lips became preoccupied by an even softer set of lips. He had to be the best kisser on the entire planet. Completely honest. It was like kissing an electrical outlet. It then became difficult to remember my own name when he rolled on top of me, his body pressing against mine, though the goddamn sheet was separating us. I could have ripped that thing in half, and I was surprised Adam hadn't already.

Goddamnit, I was in bed with Adonis. I was assured of this fact when my searching hands found his arms, which were so chiseled that I convinced myself that he was made of the world's smoothest marble. The aforementioned sheet soon found itself tangled around my legs, so I thought _Off with you, vile piece of fabric_ as I kicked it to the end of my bed, allowing Adam's half-bare body to be completely rested on top of mine. I heard him murmur something that sounded like my name before separating our lips.

"Why'd you do that?" I whispered, a bit out of breath while my hand moved to the back of his neck in order to bring him back down into our kiss.

"Brynn, give me a second," he replied, his voice stern as he released air quickly. His eyes were trained on my headboard. He had stayed in his place on top of me, but now he was just kneeling between my legs, which had somehow worked their way onto either side of his hips. _Now how did those get there?_

I made a whining sound in the back of my throat before he shot me a quick look. His eyes, which had been a dark, cobalt blue just a few minutes earlier, were now deep navy, nearly black; the gold flecks that were usually present had been drowned out by the darkness.

So that's why he needed a moment.

"Am I making you hungry?" I asked, biting my kiss-swollen lip.

"You could say that," Adam answered, breathing in and out slowly before giving me a light kiss. "It's not that I want your blood... It's your body that I'm more concerned about," he explained. I held back the urge to giggle at the fact that I had gotten my vampire boyfriend a bit hot and bothered. So much for not acting like a normal teenage guy. Then again, I hadn't really helped his case. It'd been a long time since I had seen any kind of action and I wasn't about to ruin my chances of getting further action by laughing about Adam's... condition.

"I guess I'm sorry?" I shrugged, and received a laugh in return.

"Oh, please. Don't be sorry that you just happen to be the most incredible girl I've ever been in bed with. You couldn't help that," he told me before giving me another kiss, this time on my neck. "It's me who has to take it easy with you." I allowed him to breathe for a few more moments, sitting up and putting my arms around him in a leisurely hug, my face on his bare chest. I liked the sound of the air pulling into his body, but was put off by the lack of a heartbeat beneath his skin. It was certainly disconcerting. I felt his hand softly touch my back, and pulled away to look up at his eyes, which had faded to a shadowy sapphire color, but were less dark than they had been.

"Thank you," he breathed, leaning his head down to give me another breath-taking kiss. I didn't want to push it with him so I allowed him to pull away this time without any audible complaint, though I was pouting mentally. We both shifted on the bed, finding ourselves in crossed legged positions with our knees skimming one another. He took my hands in his and turned my palms over, running his index finger over the veins in my wrist. It was strange to sit there in silence, having him map me out, yet I felt comfortable. I contemplated turning on some music, gauging whether or not Michael would hear it and come check on me.

"How asleep is Michael?" I asked Adam, who looked up at me with a cocked eyebrow. "I want to put on some music," I explained and watched as he sat there for a quiet moment, still except for his thumb which was now rubbing the back of my hand.

"He might as well be dead to the world," he answered, chuckling and letting go of my hand. "Keep it quiet though." I nodded and hopped off my bed in order to grab my phone off my bedside table before placing it in the speakers in the corner. I turned the volume to an almost inaudible level, but enough that I could hear. I tip-toed my way back to the bed while Simon and Garfunkel acted as my soundtrack but was surprised when I felt Adam's arms wrap around me from behind. "Dance with me?" he whispered in my ear, turning me around so that we were chest to chest. I cursed the moonlight that flooded through the window for exposing my blush and his gloriously blue eyes. He lifted me just slightly so that my feet were on top of his and started swaying.

It had to be the most romantic moment of my entire life.

I don't know how long we were in that position, turning ever so slowly in the darkness, but I was suddenly overcome by something that I could not explain. Maybe it was a bout of insanity or maybe I was just tired enough to lose control of my mouth and mind.

My head stayed in its place on his chest, and my eyes remained closed as I breathed, "I love you."

I had said it. It was out there. I knew he had heard it regardless of how quietly I had whispered it. The air was polluted with the weight of the words, and I took a hesitant breath, as if the small statement would have a smell and taste. He stopped moving us, and I immediately felt my skin heat up. Oh God. _He doesn't want to say it back_, I thought automatically, looking down at our overlapped feet until I felt his index finger hook under my chin and tilt it upwards.

The intensity that was found in his eyes caused me to inhale sharply. I couldn't help but feel like the only thing in his world at the moment and was assured of this fact when he leaned down to kiss me with those electric lips. My feet left the ground momentarily; I would have blamed the kiss had I not felt his arms lift me up before setting me flat on the floor.

"I love you too," he replied, resting his forehead against mine and smiling that crooked smile of his and I saw his eyes glint in the dim light. I released the breath I had been holding before smiling right back at him. I knew that it had just bubbled up from me, but something about the way that Adam reacted had me thinking that he too had been mulling over those words.

It was comforting to know that he felt as strongly for me as I did for him; my attraction wasn't one sided obviously, but I had worried sometimes about the true affection. Those four little words meant more to me than any other version of the sentence I had heard before.

My head felt light at this thought. He was actually in love with me. With _me_. I couldn't keep myself from pressing my lips against his once more, my arms around his neck. It was strange to think that we were just standing in my dark bedroom, my dad asleep just down the hall, in Forks, Washington on an average Saturday night. It felt like we were in another place, a place with no sense of time, or snoring fathers, or school in a couple of days.

I pulled away after a moment, catching my breath even though I would have kissed him for an hour straight (fuck breathing), and I felt his lips move to my neck. I would have never thought that with all this chasteness over the past few months or so that Adam was this... enthusiastic. No, that wasn't the right word. Adam had always been this enthusiastic when it came to me, just in different ways. He was eager now.

I had sometimes thought he would be the kind of guy that would not want to be involved with me that way until we were married, something I only wished for in my _wildest _dreams. I'd categorized him as the old-fashioned type. I certainly didn't feel that way, but the way his hands had moved slightly lower on my body made me blush. When Adam's lips hit just the right spot on my neck, something inside of me forced his name out of my mouth in a breathy whisper. I was shocked by his cold hands on the back of my thighs that lifted me up onto my dresser; the rest of my body hadn't registered that he had moved us across the room in a millisecond.

"You're going to be the death of me," he told me, leaning our foreheads together again while his hands left my hips and pressed against the wooden surface beneath me. I saw that his eyes had darkened once again, the pupils mixing with the irises to create one solid, molten black spot. I wouldn't have worried one bit about my pajamas if this was the reaction he had wanted to display. I guess I had done it for his sake―I had thought that he would be offended by my lack of clothes, or... What have you. I was enjoying myself far too much to even point out the turn in events, and instead kissed him heatedly.

"I'll try to be good," I assured him, smirking slightly before giggling when he flashed a dangerous smile. I liked this side of Adam. As much as I enjoyed his polite side, that was so loving and sweet and good, I thought that this side of him was terribly entertaining.

"Too late for that," Adam answered with a chuckle, sending a shiver through my body when his fingertips lightly ran up the side of my thighs and to my hips. I decided it was time for him to shiver, so I allowed my hands to run from his shoulders, down his chest and stomach, then to the rim of his jeans. The sharp breath I heard him take in satisfied the need to see him squirm, but I was more than surprised when I felt him lift me again and move me to the bed. _Was that a growl I just heard? _I questioned myself while I felt my gloriously handsome boyfriend kiss from my collarbone to my lips. When our eyes met, I couldn't help the slight moan that made its way out of my chest. I was disappointed when I felt Adam lift himself up so that he was kneeling again on the bed.

"Adam?" I asked, out of breath, while my hands touched his stomach. Why did he have to stop again? I just never wanted to stop kissing him. I never wanted to stop touching him._ So this was what all-consuming love was. _

"Brynn. Make that sound again and I might not be able to control myself," he warned me, and I contemplated doing it just to see what he would do. God, I _was_ being bad. I should have just stopped then, kept my hands off him and been a good girl. We'd only been dating for a few months―I shouldn't have wanted to do this just yet, but some (large) part of me didn't see anything wrong with this.

I decided that I'd much rather see what would happen if I did push his limits. I shifted around so that I was kneeling as well, then put my arms around his neck and leaned into his ear "What would happen then?" I asked in the breathiest voice I could muster, though it wasn't difficult since I was already so turned on. _Well, hello Marilyn_, I thought.

Adam growled while his hands gripped firmly onto my waist. "Brynn," he whispered once more, the sound of my name on his lips making it even harder not to just have my way with him right that minute. "You have no idea what you're doing to me."

"I think I have an idea," I replied, smirking before running my fingers through his hair. What had gotten into me? Was the fact that we had both said that we loved each other emboldened me to act this way? Had it been far too long since I had any kind of attention of this kind? Absolutely, and I wanted to spend my fun time with someone I loved. "Adam..." I whined slightly, "It's fine. God knows I'm enjoying this."

"Oh, I know that. I would much rather have it so that your father wasn't down the hall at the moment, because I can't imagine-" He cut himself off before finishing the sentence, and I watched as his already pitch black eyes glazed over.

"Imagine what?" I questioned, cocking my head to the side. It took a few short beats for him to come back completely to reality.

"Imagine that... That you'd be able to stay quiet enough," he responded, and I felt my skin warm up in a heat flash. Dear God.

"Oh... There is that," I said soberly, blushing heavily. Had he really just said that? All of my preconceptions about Adam had been thrown out the window in about 5 seconds.

"Yes, exactly," he replied. A hint of a smirk graced his beautiful, kissable lips. Just the thought of doing anything moan-inducing with him made my heart beat that much harder. Had I really been outside just some thirty or so minutes ago, debating whether or not Adam could sleep over? Was I crazy?! He could spend as much time in my bed as he damn well pleased. Maybe we just wouldn't leave. That scenario was extremely attractive. I decided to test my limits just a little more.

"But… What if I could stay quiet?" I ran my palms up his arms and then down his chest until they rested themselves against his hard stomach muscles. I couldn't help but revel in the intake of breath he took. His eyes gleamed dangerously in my direction, but Adam didn't say anything right away. Instead he gently moved his own hands up and down my sides, moving my shirt as he did.

"I highly doubt that you could…" He sent his eyes skyward, as if praying for some patience or willpower. His dark eyes then met mine and I could have sworn I heard him mutter "Fuck it," as he kissed me once more, pushing me back on my bed. My fingers ran up his neck and into his deliciously thick hair. All of my preconceptions about Adam had disappeared that night. All of his politeness, his chasteness, his standoffishness−gone. But I wasn't about to start complaining. I liked this Adam. _God, do I love this Adam_, I thought as another quiet moan escaped my throat while his lips traveled down my jaw and neck. "Brynn," he warned, dragging out my name in a judgemental tone of voice.

"Adam," I whined back, just to tease him. He shook his head slightly and I could feel the smile on his lips against my collarbone.

"You're absolutely insatiable," he informed me, looking up at me with his black eyes. His mischievous grin reached those lovely eyes and I couldn't help but kiss him, dipping my head down to catch his mouth in another quick peck.

"I can't help it." I smiled back at him, mussing his hair with my fingers. God, I had been waiting for this moment for what felt like an eternity. To have Adam resting on top of me, my fingers delved into his mane of chocolate hair, and the comforting reminder that he loved me made me break into a bigger smile. _Oh yeah, he loves me_, I remembered, wanting to giggle and dance but instead bringing his head up to my level again so that I could properly kiss him, my arms sliding around his neck.

"I think you could," he muttered against my lips, however he did nothing to help my addiction and instead fed into it, flipping our bodies so we were in opposite positions: my thighs straddling his hips, and his face nestled in my neck. His hands transitioned from my sides to flitting beneath my boyshorts, and for each time he did a circuit, his smooth but so very manly hands delved further into my underwear until after a while, he had his palms firmly placed on my butt. Adam kissed along my throat and collarbone, and I could have sworn I could hear a shaky intake of breath as the tip of his nose dragged along my pulse. It was both terrifying and incredibly sexy to know that Adam was breathing in the smell of my blood and that part of him still wanted it with an animalistic need.

However, another thing came to mind when I thought of animalistic need.

My mouth had become occupied with Adam's lips once more, but after a moment, I was the one to pull away.

"Adam, I need to ask you something." My chest lifted up and down slowly as I caught my breath.

"What's wrong?" he questioned, keeping his hands placed firmly on my hips and his incredibly dark eyes focused on mine. Why was I even mentioning this, when I had such a gloriously handsome and good man in my hands? But I felt like this needed to be said, because while I knew almost everything about Adam, there was one thing that had never crossed my mind until this very moment.

"Nothing's wrong, I'm fine. I…. I was just thinking about something."

"What is it, Brynn?"

"This is so embarrassing but Adam…" I hesitated, looking down at where my legs straddled his lap. I suddenly became aware that the jeans he was wearing looked much tighter than they had before, and I felt a blush escape across my face just as Adam took his hand off of my hip to lift my face to his again.

"Brynn, talk to me," he urged quietly, moving a piece of hair out of my eyes and holding the side of my face. I sighed, figuring that I just had to get this over with.

"Adam, this is an awkward question _but…_" I lowered my voice even more, but knew he'd be able to hear it all the same. "Are you a virgin?" I had never thought anything I could say would shock my almost 150-year-old boyfriend but low and behold, here we were, with Adam's eyebrows nearly shooting up into that wonderful hair of his. He cleared his throat, dropping his hand away from my face so that it could return to its previous position on my hip.

"Wow, I was not expecting that. Er," he paused, expressing the first sign of speechlessness that I had ever seen from him. I could see his eyes scan over the room, settling in the corner for a moment as he seemed to gather his thoughts. I began to assume exactly what his answer was going to be based on his silence, so I shouldn't have been surprised by his response.

"Well… If I'm going to be completely honest with you, which I _always_ will be," Adam assured me sincerely, rubbing the small of my back as he spoke, "I'm... not a virgin, Brynn, but I haven't been with anyone in nearly forty years, truth be told." I took a steadying breath―being reminded that Adam had lived many lifetimes before me always shook me a bit. I looked down once more before Adam caught my eye. "You're the first girl that has had my heart, Brynn, and the reason I'm so careful with you is because you're also the first human I've _ever _been with or even had feelings for. I understand if you feel differently about all of this but-"

"No! No, no, no," I interrupted him, lowering my voice after my first protestation before placing my hands on his bare chest. "No, this doesn't change things. Not really. I just felt like I should know this about you before things got more..._Physical_." I smiled at him nervously before tucking a tendril of hair behind my ear. "It was just on my mind considering..." I added, casting my gaze down to our hips, moving mine into his for emphasis. Adam groaned quietly in response, his eyelids sliding closed. When he opened them again, his irises were mesmerizingly midnight blue and he gazed at me hungrily for a moment before his eyes softened.

"I just can't help myself when it comes to you," he replied, slipping his arms around my waist and hugging me close. I leaned into him, welcoming the tenderness and a chance to let Adam know that I was, in fact, okay with the fact that he had been with other women. He had been alive for nearly two centuries (_Don't dwell on that thought too long,_ I reminded myself), so it was to be expected that there had to have been women that had caught his eye and vice versa in all those years. He was such a genuinely good man, and he was too good for me to ever pass judgement. This was the here and now, and the thought that he had put his heart in my fragile, naive hands made my own heart warm and my stomach flip. "But if we're having this conversation right now," Adam said, bringing me out of my reprieve as he pulled away from my neck, "I have to ask… Are you?"

"I mean…" I thought of my ex-boyfriend, Connor, across the country, who, regardless of being a sweet and genuine guy, never made my heart palpitate like Adam did. Connor was the perfect starter boyfriend: good looking, unthreatening, and just plain old _nice_. He had made me happy for quite a few months during junior year. He was a good surfer and a great kisser, among _other_ things. I thought about the time at his friend's party when we both got relatively drunk and hooked up in the back of his truck. Everything in my body that night told me it was right, but something stopped us both from going all the way. Maybe we had both acknowledged the finiteness of our relationship and didn't want to make a decision on a hot summer night when we had had one too many beers. Our problem was that, while we complimented each other, we just didn't want the same things from life; so then life happened as it usually does, he graduated, and we broke up. So I was honest with Adam when I replied, "Yes, I am a virgin, for all intents and purposes."

"That was quite the pause, Miss Sloane," Adam acknowledged, raising an eyebrow but nonetheless hugging me closer in his arms. I knew he was teasing but I felt the need to explain myself.

"Well if we're doing honesty hour here," I began, making light of the revelations we made that night, "I guess you could call me… experienced. I dated a guy for a while last year and we liked each other a lot and so naturally…" I made a gesture as if to say _One thing led to another,_ though I hated that phrase. "But I didn't love him enough to give up anything I would regret. So… Here we are."

"Yes, here we are," Adam agreed, taking in a deep breath as he looked at me in the darkness. We looked into each other's eyes for quite some time as we contemplated the facts. I was virgin and he wasn't. I'd had a taste of losing yourself in another person, but Adam had enjoyed the whole meal. I didn't know and didn't _want _to know how often he had, but the fact that I was the first girl he had truly loved and the fact that I was mortal and breakable probably scared the shit out of him. This was new territory for the both of us.

I needed to break the silence.

For the second time that night, I told him I loved him, just to remind him. "I trust you, with my heart _and _my body and I don't think I've ever felt that way about another person, Adam, and I don't think I ever will again. So whatever happens, I want you to know that I trust you."

"I love you so very much, Brynn," he replied, kissing me intensely, his fingers tangling themselves into the back of my head. I slipped my hands up to hold the sides of his face, pushing myself closer into his body so that we were melded together. I soon found myself pinned beneath his marble body, my legs wrapped around his hips to hold him tighter. After another heated moment, Adam lifted his lips away from mine and touched my face gently. "If you're putting your trust in me, then I'm going to make sure everything is perfect when that day comes, whenever it may be." He smiled down at me, kissing my nose. "As far I'm concerned, whatever is okay with you is okay with me."

"In that case," I answered, a slow smile spreading on my lips as I lifted my head to whisper in his ear, "I'd like to pick up where we left off." I knew myself well enough to know that I wouldn't be losing my virginity that night, especially not with my father sleeping down the hall. I also needed time, and I think Adam needed it as well. This fact, however, wasn't going to stop me from enjoying my incredibly sexy boyfriend. Adam thankfully shared the sentiment, and flashed a relieved smile down at me before catching my lips with his once more.


	8. Plans

I woke up early on Friday morning. I glanced out onto my porch, and while the sun was not there to greet me from just beyond the tree line, it was in fact a particularly bright gray day. I smiled, stretching my arms above my head and receiving a nice _pop _from my shoulder as I did.

"Sure that didn't come out of the socket?" Adam teased, his head rested in his palm as he looked at me. I made a face at him before bending to kiss him good morning. It felt so normal to have him there, in bed with me, as if this was how life usually was. He'd slept at my house almost every night the past two weeks without my father ever realizing, which was both thrilling and terrifying. I was still surprised (even if it was the most infinitesimal amount of shock) that his family was completely unfazed by this fact, but then again, I had to remember that I was dating a man who was 10 times my age and could do whatever the hell he damn well pleased.

I hopped out of bed, shaking out my hair from the ponytail I had put it in the night before while Adam and I had been kissing. That honestly felt like a natural state of being for us these days. It had only been a short amount of time since we had both said that we loved each other and broke the metaphorical levee that had kept us from thoroughly enjoying one another, but _God, _it was like we couldn't get enough of each other. During school, we would steal as many kisses as humanly possible; in the hallway, at the cafeteria table, even once in the backstage of the auditorium, which had warranted quite the explanation to Kristen and Anna when I showed up to gym class with dishevelled hair and my shirt partially untucked. Adam couldn't seem to keep his hands off me either, which was not only comforting but also incredibly exhilarating. Whether he was holding my hand, playing with my hair, or touching the small of my back, Adam and I felt like magnets drawn together.

I smiled at the thought as I bent down to fish a tan cable knit sweater out of my dresser drawer, eliciting a quiet growl from Adam. I had momentarily forgotten that I had slept in a large t-shirt and underwear, and felt a blush crawl up my cheeks. _Whoops. _

Within a millisecond, I felt my boyfriend behind me, his hands on my hips as he turned me around in order to give me a deep kiss. _Yeah, this I could wake up to for the rest of my life, _I thought as Adam's hands made their way up my back beneath my shirt. My own hands ran up and down his sides, feeling each oblique muscle as they went. I could have stayed this way forever, but I was startled out of the kiss by the sound of my father's voice.

"Brynn? You up yet?" Michael called up the stairs, as I heard his footsteps fall.

"_Shit!_"I whispered, the sound whistling through my teeth as I looked up at Adam; he returned an anxious look before flashing around my room at a blurring speed, picking up his discarded clothes as he went (since he was currently wearing black boxer briefs and a t-shirt – I had convinced him that the cold didn't really bother me the night before) and then with not a second to spare, he closed my closet door behind him and I clambered back into bed.

My dad knocked and opened the door just as I pretended to let out a luxurious yawn, as if I had gotten the best night's sleep ever as opposed to being up half the night making out with my boyfriend.

"Hey, sleepyhead. Just wanted to check in with you before I headed out – I feel like I never see you in the morning," Michael said, coming into my room and sitting on the end of my bed. "These days, Adam sees you more often than I do," he added with a chuckle, since he knew that Adam came to pick me up every morning the few weeks– though my dad didn't know that he was driving from a few blocks away where his car was parked overnight.

I laughed nervously and rubbed the back of my neck, a habit that I had picked up from Adam. "Well yeah, I mean, it's my fault for not waking up early enough. I do like my sleep," I replied, shooting my eyes to my closet for a second before looking back at my father.

"Indeed you do…. You also seem to like spending a lot more time with Adam lately," he noted, and I suddenly became aware of the strange tone in his voice.

_Oh no. Now is _not_ the time. _

"I just want to be sure that you're being careful with him. Don't get me wrong, I do like him a lot – He's a nice kid with a really, really good family but it's easy to get caught up in a guy like that, Brynn. I don't want you to do anything irrational just because you like him. He hasn't pressured you at-" I stopped my father short before I decided to jump off my porch from embarrassment.

"Nope! No, no, no, no. _Nein. _Not at all." I pushed my hair back in a rather dramatic fashion, glancing at the closet once more. "Dad, I just woke up―I should probably start getting ready for school an-and you might be late for work. We'll talk about this later, okay?" I said quickly, jolting out of bed and smiling at my dad who gave me a dumbfounded look.

"Oh….Kay," he replied, raising his eyebrow at me before sighing. "Enjoy your day at school, Brynn. And you should put on some pants- it is winter after all," he teased, before kissing my forehead and heading out the door.

No way in _fucking_ hell did my father just try to talk about the _fucking_ birds and the _fucking_ bees while my half naked boyfriend was hiding in my closet. I could have melted into a puddle of humiliation, but my dissolving was halted when just as the front door closed, the door to my closet squeaked open and Adam emerged. I smiled at him, blushing all the way from my neck to my hairline, before hiding my face in my hands.

"I know you heard all of that, but please do _not_ say a word," I muttered into my fingers. Adam laughed quietly before taking my hands in his, and bringing them to rest between our chests.

"I'm just glad that your father didn't catch us while I was still in the bed." He smiled softly down me just as I cast my eyes up to his, and I knew he was trying to lessen my embarrassment by just the smallest amount. "I'm actually surprised I didn't hear him, but then again... I was otherwise preoccupied…" he added, biting his lip as he looked down at my own lips.

"You're an animal," I replied, smirking up at him.

"That may be true, but that doesn't mean you aren't insatiable." He had a point there. I kissed him once more, proving his point, before replying.

"Okay, despite that _horrendously_ embarrassing moment, I do actually need to get ready for school. Did you bring things to change into or are you going home?" I asked, bending down quickly to get my sweater out of the drawer.

"I planned ahead," Adam replied, taking the ball of clothes in his hand and laying them out on my bed: a white henley, dark jeans, and his brown leather jacket. "But, do you mind if I take a shower here? Just to rinse off."

"Not if you don't mind me doing my makeup while you do," I answered, pulling my hair back into a ponytail so that I could wash my face. Adam followed me down the hall to the bathroom after I had double checked that Michael had actually left for work. "Michael has soap in there and whatever else you guys use." I pulled my makeup bag out for the drawer in the vanity as well as my face cleanser and began splashing water on my face.

It was as if this was our routine; the routine of a couple that shared an apartment as opposed to two high schoolers breaking the rules of the house…Except that I was the only one going through high school for the first time… and it wasn't like my father had set many of rules to begin with.

I was applying mascara when I heard the water shut off. While I hadn't been paying attention to Adam getting in, seeing as I had had my head in the sink, I was now fully aware that my boyfriend was naked. In my shower.

"Brynn, sweetheart, would you hand me a towel?" he said as I heard him shake the water out of his hair.

"Yeah, one sec." I put the mascara down on the counter, grabbed a fluffy white towel out of the linen cabinet and slid my hand into the shower until I felt the fabric leave my fingers. Adam thanked me and I went back to the mirror to finish my makeup, but just as I lifted the wand to my eyelashes, I noticed motion in my peripheral. There was my boyfriend, sliding open the shower curtain with the towel only loosely hung around his hips and his skin still glistening from the water droplets.

It was unfair that he got to look so incredible. My mouth was conveniently already hanging open due to my absolutely ridiculous mascara face, but I felt my jaw slacken slightly more as Adam readjusted the towel and I caught a millisecond long flash of what had previously been hidden beneath his black briefs.

_Holy shit. Really? Okay. Wow. _My thoughts were rapid fire as I cast my eyes back onto my own reflection in the mirror, pretending like I hadn't just seen Adam in all of his naked glory. It wasn't like this was the first time I had seen a guy naked before – hell, I had seen Connor naked a few times while we were dating. Sometimes when Adam and I had been kissing, I was aware of him pressed against me but _Jesus Christ. _

I felt myself blush just before Adam planted a kiss on my cheek.

"You look beautiful as always," he said, either oblivious to the fact that I had seen him in the mirror or pretending to be. He smiled before rubbing the small of my back. "Regardless of the weather or what your father says, I like these pajamas," a statement that he confirmed by allowing his hand to lightly smack my butt, to which I replied with a quick squeak and a smile.

And_ I_ was the insatiable one?

I returned from the bathroom just as Adam slid on his white shirt and mussed his hair up into its normally parted style. He smiled at me, a content smile, before sitting down on my bed to slide his feet into his tan desert boots. _He really is too handsome for his own good, _I mused as I put on my bra beneath my t-shirt. I watched him tie up his laces in the reflection of my mirror and got a mildly wicked thought. He had surprised me this morning already, so why not give him a little shock to the system?

I wiggled into the jeans that had previously been draped over my desk chair, tucking in the out-turned pockets, then decided to test my poor, blood and body thirsty boyfriend's resistance.

I never did say I made the best life decisions all the time.

I pulled the straps of my bra over my shoulders beneath my t-shirt, then proceeded to maneuver the band tee over my head. I tossed it over my desk chair and then strolled across the room to my dresser where my jewelry box rested, and pulled out a big, chunky necklace to wear with my sweater.

Adam had visibly stiffened in his place on the bed. His navy eyes were the only things that remained mobile as they watched me walk around the room. I swore I heard him take in a sharp breath but no more sound or movement came from him until I had slid on the sweater I had chosen for the day.

I reached for the necklace, but felt Adam's chest pressed up against my back, his hands engulfing mine in order to take the necklace from my hands. "Allow me," he offered, so I pulled my hair over my shoulder. I half-expected him to clasp the necklace right away, but I was pleasantly surprised, if not a little terrified, to feel his lips on my neck. "Either you know exactly the effect you have on me…" His nose ran up my skin. "Or you are blissfully unaware that you drive me _crazy_…" Adam whispered which immediately caused goosebumps to raise all over my body. It was as if his cold breath had reached the blood that coursed through my jugular. Maybe that had been the effect he had been looking for.

I imagined Adam being this close to me two months ago, when he flinched at my slightest touch. He had been hesitant to let me too close because he said that the closer I was, the more I overwhelmed him; he had explained again and again that it was like holding a glass of the finest whiskey beneath the nose of a recovering alcoholic. Then a month later, when we would sit on my couch talking for hours, he would hold my hands in his and press his forehead to mine, breathing deeply. Acclimating. During those times, I remained silent and allowed him to drink me in without puncturing any skin (always preferable).

He had always been the careful one, the one that withheld. Hell, the Adam that I had known two weeks previous to this moment would have _never_ said those words, nor would he have his lips pressed to the very spot where my blood flowed but I wasn't mad about the new development.

I bit my lip, looking at him in the reflection of the mirror on top of my dresser. His eyes were dark as he returned the gaze, his fingers grazing over the tops of my arms. My father had every right to be concerned―his daughter was head over heels in love with danger incarnate, and shit did he make danger look drop dead sexy.

"I think the feeling is mutual," I replied, turning to give him a quick peck. "_But_ we have school soon," was my regretful addition as I dipped out from where he had me pressed against the wood of my dresser, grabbed my school books and put them in my bag. I had to distract myself because otherwise Adam would have been able to have me in any way he liked. Adam groaned in response but put on his jacket regardless, taking a watch out of the pocket and sliding it on his wrist.

"Are you ready to go?" he asked, looking a little crestfallen but still eyeing me with his thirst-darkened eyes. I nodded, and as we went out the door, I grabbed an apple to eat on the go. I waited while Adam raced to his car and drove back to pick me up, and contemplated whether or not I should mention any of what happened this morning to Kristen and Anna. I was planning on calling Zoe and Mia that weekend to tell them, because they were fully aware of the fact that I had, in fact, hooked up with my boyfriend in the auditorium and wanted to know more, but Kristen and Anna were a different story.

Kristen would probably act enthused and giggle with me, but ever since Adam and I had officially started dating, Anna had been a little fickle with me, and I didn't want it getting out to the school that he and I were having nightly sleepovers and (unintentionally) seeing each other naked. The last thing we needed was for people to know anymore about our personal lives than necessary, especially since Adam and his family had _quite _the secret to keep.

As we drove towards the school, I fiddled with my nails, which were painted deep maroon. I was still mulling over whether or not I should tell the girls about the morning when Adam pulled me out of my trance.

"So, you know how you had mentioned that you had wanted to see what the sun did to me?" I looked up and met his gaze, which had returned to its usual cobalt color now that we were far removed from my bedroom. I nodded, and he continued talking. "Well the forecast says that it's supposed to be sunny tomorrow, so I figured you could come to my house and I could show you." I was about to agree, when I stalled on the first part of his statement. _Come to your house? _I repeated the statement out loud, trying to take on a pleasant inflection, but I couldn't help the mild sense of terror that marred the words. "I mean, you haven't been there yet and I'd love to give you a tour...Also my parents really do want to meet you, Brynn," he explained. He tried on his most encouraging tone and added a smile for emphasis. Damn those pearly whites.

"Well, I mean…." I couldn't say no, because I simply couldn't put it off forever. I did want to meet them, because from what Adam had told me about them, James and Elizabeth were wonderful and I didn't want to seem rude...but here I was, this young girl who had fallen in love with their adopted son; a girl who was in no way as educated or graceful or _perfect _as Ella and Gwen were, and probably never would be. In the back of my mind, I was convinced that they would be disappointed because Adam hadn't fallen in love with someone who was like him, someone who had lived decades longer than I had. I wasn't a vampire. How could I ever impress them? But this was a fear that I would have to get over one way or another… Specifically in the next two days. "I mean, I guess that'd be fine… Great!" I corrected. "You _did_ have to sit through a whole dinner with my dad."

"Yeah, so you owe me one," he teased with a smirk. I laughed and reached for the hand that was rested on his stick shift.

"Should I wear a ball gown with a high neck? Maybe a garlic necklace for protection?" I asked, squeezing his fingers.

"_Ha-ha_, very funny." Adam rolled his eyes but I could tell he cracked a smile. He had told me time and again that all of the things we were told about vampires in movies and shows were not even remotely true. Crosses and holy water were not going to save you; there was no way out.

As soon as we pulled into the parking lot of the school, Adam cut the engine and turned to me. "I promise, Brynn, my parents are going to love you as much as I do, and don't you ever doubt that," he said, leaning across to plant a kiss on my lips. I resisted the urge to delve my fingers into his hair and stay in his car for the rest of the day kissing those electric lips of his–it was probably in my better interest to get to class.

I bundled myself against the cold breeze that whipped across the courtyard and was glad that while Adam himself may have been cool to the touch, he tended to leave his jacket somewhere near the heater during the night. I was ready for winter to be over, but I also didn't want to race through time because soon it would be the end of the year and we'd graduate and then what? Where would we go? What would our lives become?

I stopped the questions buzzing around my head, because they were not pressing at the moment and instead kissed Adam goodbye as I walked into the classroom building, trying my best to withhold my content smile as I sat beside Anna.

"Can you stop being so _ridiculously_ in love?" Anna asked while clasping her hands and making a goo-goo eyed face at me as I pulled out my notebook and the copy of _The Bell Jar _that we had been assigned. I shrugged while I flicked through the pages that I had made notes on.

"Maybe one day." _In about a million years, _I added mentally. "Did you do the reading last night?"

"No," she answered indignantly, since she rarely did the reading until the night before the paper was due, "but what has gotten into you two lately?" I turned my head with a raised eyebrow. "It just seems like a few weeks ago, you were holding hands like it was the fucking fifties and now you can't stay away from each other." I let out a short, nervous laugh and felt a blush creep across my face but didn't reply since the final bell rang and our teacher was more than prepared to discuss the book in my hands.

When the class ended, Anna and I walked through the hallways to her locker, where Kristen met with us. The shorter blonde groaned. "I swear to God, if Mrs. Fuller says the word_ 'L'Hôpital' _one more time, _I'm _going to reach my limit," she said, rolling her eyes with an exasperated sigh. "Anyway, what are you guys doing this weekend?"

"I think I'm supposed to go ice skating with Matt? Who knows but then he mentioned that he might have a party at his place since his parents are going away for the weekend. You guys should come," Anna proposed, checking her lip gloss in the mirror hanging in her locker. Kristen, who had been checking her phone, nodded.

"Yeah, Tom mentioned that. Brynn, you should come!" she suggested.

"Like she'd be able to keep herself from making out with her boyfriend for that long," Anna interjected before I could answer.

"Thanks, Anna," I replied, making a face at her. "I'd love to, but I'm supposed to be meeting Adam's parents this weekend. Maybe Adam and I could come after?"

"Wait, you're meeting his parents? Are you nervous?" Kristen wondered. _Nervous? Oh no, I'm just meeting my boyfriend's centuries old parents that I am desperate to impress. No biggie, _I thought. I swear I felt my eye twitch.

"I mean, I'm sure they'll be great. I honestly just want them to like me," I answered, playing with my necklace.

"I'm sure they will, Brynn. You're perfect in every way and it's obvious that Adam is crazy about you." Kristen had an innate ability to make you feel good about yourself. "You guys should definitely come though–I'd _love_ to see Adam actually going to a party."

"What party am I going to?" I jumped at the sound of Adam's voice and turned to find him standing behind me. "Hey Kristen―Hey Anna," he added, smiling at the two of them before leaning down to peck my lips.

"Oh! Um, we were just talking about a thing that Matt's having at his place tomorrow," I told him, looking up as he put his arm around my shoulders. I hadn't really thought about it before, but before Adam and I had started dating, it was obvious that he had never really been a social butterfly, nor had the rest of his family. Ever since we had been together, however, we migrated from sitting alone at empty tables to sitting among the rest of my friends. We had earned some curious looks from both his siblings and the general populace of Forks High School, but now it was just a reality everyone had adjusted to. I was just glad to see that he wasn't being so much of a…. well, a vampire. "I was saying that I'm meeting your parents tomorrow so I wasn't sure if we'd be able to go."

"Well… if you wanted to go, I wouldn't mind at all," Adam replied, shrugging his shoulders.

"Really?" I asked with a surprised tone.

"A party couldn't hurt anybody," he answered with a cheeky smile in my direction, making me raise my eyebrow. He knew well and good that a party could get you killed, but I obviously was not going to point this out in front of my friends.

Anna then said, "Perfect, then you two are coming. I'll let Matt know. Should I tell him to get you guys anything to drink?" I mustered enough strength to hold down a giggle at the thought of my boyfriend forcing down a beer.

"I'll just bring my own–how about you, love?" Adam asked me.

"Whatever you guys were going to get is fine with me. Just…_don't_ get me gin. Had a bad experience last summer." It was now the rest of the group's turn to raise their eyebrows at me. "Neither gin nor tonic like my stomach very much. I'll leave it at that."

"Noted," Anna said just as the bell rang. "C'mon, Brynn, time to learn about 'lay hope-ee-tal' or whatever Kristen just said."

"Tell me about the gin story later," Adam whispered in my ear with a teasing smile.

"Yeah, right," I replied, giving him a kiss and receiving an almost unnoticed squeeze on the butt. "I love you," I added.

"I love you too. I'll see you at lunch." Adam pecked my lips once more and I turned to catch up with Anna and Kristen.

Throughout lunch that day, I absently picked at the sandwich Adam had slid in my direction after reiterating what a big breakfast he had had that morning. My friends continued to talk about Matt's party, which seemed to be turning into quite the production. Every time I paid enough attention to the conversation, they had thought of another person to invite and another round of booze that Matt's older brother, Jack, should pick up.

I was otherwise preoccupied by my own mental list of to-dos.

1\. _Write my Bell Jar essay by next Tuesday_

2\. _Think of an outfit to meet Adam's parents in_

3\. _Remember to lock the door before bed_

4\. _Become a supermodel with the knowledge of a Harvard professor and an appreciation for the taste of blood so I can impress Adam's parents_

5\. _Panic about the future_

6\. _Stop aging?_

7._ Don't drink any gin_

The pencil I had been twiddling in my fingers threatened to create a small fire before Adam's hand caught mine. I looked up from my planner to meet his eyes.

"Hey, are you okay?" he asked in a quiet voice so that no one else at the table could hear him. Matt had finally started crunching numbers and they were making cuts to the metaphorical guest list.

"Yeah, I'm fine." It was a weak response, even if I had said it in my most cheery voice. "I just have a lot on my mind," I added, pulling my hair over one shoulder. Adam's forehead creased as he looked at me and I knew he was, as always, frustrated that he didn't know exactly what I was thinking.

"_Brynn_…" he scolded quietly, looking up at me through his long, pitch black eyelashes. He looked so handsome in that moment, I caught myself wanting to make an honest woman out of his eyebrows. His_ eyebrows._ I shook my head, which served as a flippant response to Adam's wonder. I grasped at an explanation when his face turned exasperated.

"Latent embarrassment from this morning," I whispered. An actual blush crept up my cheeks, which I knew was always a favorite reaction of Adam's even if it burned his throat whenever his eyes were as dark as they were. He chuckled in response, lifting his hand to run the knuckle of his pointer finger along my cheek then to my chin.

"Oh, don't worry about that. Your dad is as concerned as any other father would be if someone that looked like me was in love with their daughter." His hand dropped so he could take my fingers in his and his voice became so hushed that I had to strain my ears to hear him. "When I was hiding this morning, I could hear how reluctant he was to even say anything. He was just as mortified as you were, but I think he may have just caught on to the…" His eyes dipped to look at my mouth. "The shift... in how we are around each other."

I was immediately reminded of a few nights earlier. Adam had come by after school to finish our homework like he usually did; afterwards, we had migrated to the couch to watch some Jeopardy, since I was always fascinated by Adam's ability to answer every single question without hesitation. While we watched, I snuggled up under Adam's arm, my hand rested on his stomach just beneath his shirt. His hand wandered up and down my back, occasionally catching my hair between his fingers then wandering further down to rest right on the curve of my hips.

The quietness of the routine began to lull me to sleep, and I even felt Adam's cheek rest on the top of my head as he released a contented sigh. While my locked mind often frustrated him, Adam had explained that sometimes he found himself focusing solely on the silence in order to quiet his mind.

He must have been doing just that because we both had been jolted from the position by a throat clearing from the other side of the room. We'd stayed an arm's length from each other for the rest of the night.

"What does he think about… the potential reality?" I asked quietly, my gaze flicking from Adam's eyes to his mouth, which twitched up at the side. He paused, looking for the right words (a rare occasion) while he scanned his eyes over the table around us. No one seemed to be paying attention.

"He thinks… Well, he thinks that he's never seen two people more enamoured with each other than the two of us. He was just struck by the… Energy we give off. _Magnets _was the word he thought of. He seems to think that's because things have gotten more _physical._" Adam's voice was veering near silent by the end of his sentence.

"I mean, he's not _entirely_ wrong," I countered, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear with my free hand and biting my lower lip.

"That still doesn't mean that I don't wish there was a way to convince him that I've maintained his daughter's virtue, despite her attempts to undo me," he whispered back, leaning forward to peck my lips. I laughed, my brain wiping itself clear of my list for just a moment.

"Don't make yourself sound so innocent," I replied, nudging his shoulder with mine, though I effectively bounced right off him.

"Oh, could you guys quit it?" Anna's pointed statement pulled us both out of the moment. I jumped in my seat a little bit and blushed; Adam simply laughed and did his best to try on an embarrassed smile. I guessed my voice had been a bit louder than intended.

"Sorry," I answered, sneaking a smile at Adam again. _Yeah, definitely not mentioning this morning_, I thought as I popped a piece of sandwich into my mouth. Anna continued to squint at us before Matt decided to change the direction of the conversation.

"So, what time do you guys think you'll be able to make it over?" Matt asked. I was actually proud that he didn't skip a beat when speaking to the two of us; Matt and some of the other people who I sat with had struggled to find words the first few weeks that Adam began "eating" lunch with me. Kristen had been unfailingly friendly to make up for the lack of conversation, which made me love her all the more.

Before I could answer, Adam spoke, "I think my parents were going to make us dinner pretty early, so we probably wouldn't be too late. You said 10 o'clock, right?" If it had been other company, I would have made a joke about what our dinner was going to entail, but I kept my mouth shut.

Matt nodded. "Yeah, man, whenever works," he answered, downing the rest of his water bottle just as the bell rang. "Did you guys do the Chem homework by the way?" Matt added, shouldering his backpack as we all stood and started walking to our respective classes.

"Yes," Adam and I answered together. God, we really were being obnoxious.

"I got stuck on that seventh problem, can I see yours?" It was my turn to nod, pulling my bag over to my front and fishing the sheet out of its folder. The three of us continued down the hall, Adam explaining how we had gotten the right answer while I considered how just four months before this moment would have seemed utterly impossible.

**. . .**

"Brynn? Sweetheart?" My name was just a whisper, but that combined with delicate fingers running through my hair was enough to wake me the following morning. I whined quietly, curling on my side even more so that my face was pressed into the pillow beneath it. Adam laced his arm back around my waist and pulled me tighter against him, nestling his face against the back of my neck. "Honey, wake up," he whispered onto my skin.

"It's too early to be awake," I grumbled back, reaching for the hand that was around me and pulling it up to my lips so I could kiss Adam's knuckles. I wasn't being entirely ridiculous―when I managed to crack open one of my eyelids, the light outside my porch was just reaching a faded denim color, void of the sunshine that had been promised that day.

"I figured I should head out and get… _breakfast_ worked out before you come over today," he explained, kissing the spot where his words had just passed over. I shivered in response.

"_Or,_" I started, turning around so that I was facing him, "we could just not leave bed all day." I snuggled into his chest as I spoke and breathed in his comforting, evergreen scent.

"As pleasant as that sounds, my parents are expecting you to come by three o'clock," he reminded me. "And I haven't gone hunting in over a week." I whined again, my lips pouting as I looked back up at him. His eyes were rather dark; whether this was because of my proximity or because he was actually hungry was difficult to say, but I figured it was the latter.

"Oh-_kay_," I responded with a sleepy sigh before Adam gave me a kiss on the lips that he deepened after just a short moment. My fingers gripped his soft, navy t-shirt before gliding down to rest on the dip just above his perfect, boxer-brief clad butt. He pulled away just as my fingers teased under the band.

"Alright, alright; before I get carried away and _actually _stay here all day…" Adam pecked my lips once more before climbing out of bed. I watched as he flitted around the room, picking up his jeans and a navy and forest green flannel off my floor and putting them on at a surprisingly human pace.

I sat up and yawned as my arms reached for the ceiling. "What time is it?" I wondered groggily, reaching for my phone on the bedside table.

"Six o'clock," Adam responded before I even got a chance to unlock my screen. "You should go back to sleep―I can't get any shut-eye, but you need to." He slid on his jacket as he made the suggestion, adjusting the collar while he walked back to the bed. "I'll see at three?"

I nodded and stretched to kiss him, my hand reaching to touch his jaw. We both whispered a quick _I love you_ before Adam kissed my forehead and made his way to my porch. He slid the door closed behind him, and with a quick smile in my direction, he hopped over the guardrail and disappeared from my sight.

A smile hung on my lips for only a moment before my face fell into sleepy concern. I pushed the heels of my palms into my eyes, rubbing away the sleep and hopefully the anxiety that had flooded them in the time between Adam leaping off my porch and my realization that I was finally meeting his parents that day.

_Breathe so you can think, Brynn_. My mom's voice was loud in my head as I pulled my legs off my bed and sat, staring at the beginnings of a bright morning. Not only would I get to see his home, I'd be seeing Adam in the sun that day.I considered if I would look at him any different afterwards, as if seeing him change would make his… condition all too real for me.

_He'd still be Adam, _I thought. He'd still be the compassionate, funny, charming guy that I had fallen very much in love with. I already knew he was a vampire, and that hadn't stopped me from wanting to be with him in the past three months. Curiosity was just getting the best of me now.

_But curiosity killed the cat_.

I lifted myself out of bed and padded down the hall to wash my face. Just as I rounded into the bathroom, yawning widely and stretching my arms in front of me, I ran smack into my dad.

"Oh!" I exclaimed, steadying myself on the doorframe just as he did the same with the side of the shower. He was wearing green flannel pajama bottoms and a gray t-shirt that showed signs of many teeth-brushings. He had the extra battery to his razor in hand.

"Oh, Brynn. What are you doing up this early on a Saturday?" he wondered, scratching the back of his black-haired head and yawning.

"I just couldn't sleep," I answered, which was the relative truth. "Do you have a meeting today?" We maneuvered around each other while he replied.

"No, actually. I've been dragged into joining some of the guys from the firm at Clarke's mountain house down in Greenwater. Do you remember Rob Clarke at all? You would have met him when I brought you to that one charity barbeque when you were… Oh, what... twelve? He has a son that's a few years older than you."

"Um… Yeah, I think so," I answered, though I couldn't put a face to the name. Twelve-year-old me, all gangly legs, freckles, and uncontrollable curly hair had been too focused on texting Mia about the most recent book we had read or counting down the days until I could return to Ocean City, where summer was in full force while Forks was as rainy as ever. I'd be willing to admit I was going through my bratty preteen phase then. "Well, that should be fun since you guys have been working so hard the last few months."

My dad shrugged. "I guess it should be. It's the four and a half hour drive that I'm not looking forward to. Getting to Seattle from here is bad enough as it is."

"You know you didn't need to choose Forks, right?" I dipped my head down to splash my face with the cold water that flowed from the faucet. "And you have John do the driving most days," I added while I pushed my face into a hand towel.

"I know, I know. If I were in my right mind, I would have moved to Seattle years ago. I just love this house too much," he answered, slapping the door frame twice as if to reassure the house that he wouldn't leave it any time soon. I was probably more relieved than the house was; no Forks would have meant no Adam. "Maybe once you leave for college..." Michael mused, rubbing his cheek sleepily before looking back up at me with the blue-gray eyes that had made their way to me through the gene pool. "Anyway, do you have plans for the weekend? I'm sorry that I'm leaving you here on your own again."

"Oh, no―Dad, it's completely fine. A-" I stopped myself before I could say,_ Adam will be here to keep me company. _I chose to follow through with a more attractive truth. "Adam's parents invited me over for dinner tonight, so I'll be there most of this afternoon."

"Really? I'm sure it'll be a good night then― I've met them a couple of times through the loop. Nicest people you'll ever meet. Dr. Wood's wife could charm a rattlesnake." I nodded in response, taking his word for it, and made an affirmative sound.

"And then I think I'm going to hang out with Anna and Kristen later on." I chose to omit the fact that we would be together at a party with underage drinking, but what Michael didn't know wouldn't really hurt him. I was, in fact, usually the responsible one.

"Maybe you could stay at one of their houses, just so you're not alone for the night?" my dad suggested. I could almost read the underlying message in his words. _Magnets. _

"Yeah, that'd be a good idea. I'll ask them later," I responded, hoping that would make my father breathe a little easier over the weekend. While I had no expectations to speak of, it would be nice not to have Michael calling me every hour to make sure that I was still, in fact, a virgin. I am almost rolled my eyes at the thought.

"Good," Michael answered, slapping the door frame twice before pushing off it. "I should get this situation," he said, motioning to the small amount of scruff on his cheeks, "handled. I'll pop in before I head out."

Left in the bathroom on my own, my mirrored twin watched me with tired eyes as I let my hair down and ran a brush through the curls. I chose to be methodical with my routine that morning, since it helped me ease my nerves. I even followed the instructions on the back of my shampoo, applying them to my racing thoughts.

Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

Out of the shower, about half a bottle of lotion aided my attempt to have skin as soft as Ella and Gwen's looked. Truth be told, I probably could have slid down the hallway with the amount of moisturizer on the bottom of my feet. I could almost hear Adam in my mind, scolding me for wanting soft legs when he would be the only one touching them.

Goosebumps speckled my arms at the thought of those strong hands of his tracing down my outer thighs while he reprimanded me. It was easy enough to imagine such a scene playing out that night, when we would get back from Matt's party and find ourselves in an empty house. An empty house, without any sound restrictions or sleeping fathers down the hall. The goosebumps disappeared under my skin and instead manifested themselves into a shiver down my spine. Would Adam allow for that kind of situation? Would he suggest the same thing Michael had? Or had he already known my dad was going away for the weekend?

I shook my head, trying to expel the thoughts before tugging a comb through my wet hair. _One thing at a time,_ I reminded myself and continued down my list of to-do's.

As promised, my dad had popped in as he headed out, told me to call him later when I knew where I was staying, then wished me luck at the Woods'.

"Just be yourself, sweetie," he told me with a reassuring rub on the shoulder. It didn't help that being myself meant being aggressively human but I promised him I would.

Once again, I was left on my own; to fill the silence of an empty house, I put on some music and spent much of the morning dancing around to one song or another. I swung back and forth in front of my closet, scanning through the clothes while I sang along to Vampire Weekend. Ezra Koenig asked me to hold him in my everlasting arms as I tugged a black shirt off one of the hangers and held it up, examining myself in the mirror. "_No_," I sighed out loud to myself for about the fifth time before I crossed my arms over my chest. My eyes scanned once more before they caught a glimpse of color sticking out among the navys and blacks that populated my closet. I pulled out a steel blue blouse that, upon a reflected inspection, was nearly the same shade as my eyes. _You look lovely in that color,_ Adam's voice told me as I pulled the top over my head.

I shuffled over to my jewelry box and pulled out one of Adam's Christmas gifts to me: an incredibly dainty necklace that had only a moonstone pendant no bigger than a dime hanging from it. The gem nestled itself just below the dip in my throat, which I had learned (without much surprise) was one of Adam's favorite spots. My fingers danced lightly over the necklace before running through the waves that fell around my back and shoulders.

I looked like the kind of girl the average parent would want their son to date: wide-eyed, rosy-cheeked and golden-haired. Had it not been for a particularly long lived awkward stage and my aversion to any kind of organized sport, I could have been a Golden Girl my entire life. It had only taken me moving to the country's rainiest city for people to catch onto that glimmer. Beneath the surface of those golden ideals, however, I had built up line after line of defense in order to prove that I was more than the role my sunny looks cast me in.

Connor's parents had been perfectly content with what I had put on the table, but I had to acknowledge the fact that who I was when I had just turned 16 was a far cry from who I was at this moment. A year and some odd months had meant that I been through my first (and perhaps the last) bout of puppy love, through my first break up (my heart clenched; again, hopefully the last); I had torn through book after book, reading up on my history, on the classics, reading and rereading that battered copy of _Jitterbug Perfume _and I had developed some sense of how I felt about life and death and immortality (a concept that made me shift in my place.)

I had to wonder if this defense would prove substantial enough when faced with Elizabeth and James Wood. I hadn't gotten the chance to ask Adam just how old the pair of them were, but I began to worry that I would come off as an inarticulate little girl when I spoke to a couple that I had to imagine had collectively lived over 400 years. I shivered.

I had to trust that Adam knew me well enough to think that I stood some kind of chance. He had to believe in me―Adam was, in fact, my biggest fan. I set my shoulders back like my mom had always reminded me to do as a child and looked back at my reflection. _They're not going to bite you_. I couldn't help but laugh.

I settled into the couch downstairs to hurry up and wait until it was time to head over to the Wood's house. My phone buzzed beside me at about 2:45 and just a millisecond after I saw the name on the screen, Adam's voice was filling my ear.

"A bit quick to the draw, aren't you?" he teased, a smile in his tone.

"We've spent too much time together―your lightning fast reflexes have rubbed off on me," I replied, making him laugh.

"It's never enough time with you, but if you wanted to get here by three o'clock, you should leave now. I'll text you the address, okay?"

"Okay. I'll see you soon." I swallowed away the small, nervous lump in my throat. "Love you."

"I love you. See you in a bit―Drive safely." I pressed the end button on my phone, stood to pull on my boots then bustled into the kitchen to grab my keys off the counter. Purse in hand, I wrenched open the door and was greeted by one of the most unseasonably beautiful days I had ever seen while living in Forks. After weeks and weeks of blustery, cold winter weather, it took my eyes some time to adjust to the sunlight that glinted off the leaves that still clung to the evergreens outside of my house. If you had told me it was days away from February, I would have laughed in your face.

Conveniently, my sunglasses were in the same place I had left them on the last sunny day, which seemed a distant memory. The road was a winding pathway of glittering puddles and shiny, newer asphalt that looked as if it had absorbed all of the sun's yellow light. I dutifully followed the directions my phone chirped at me until they led me down a road I have never been on, which was shocking in a town as small as Forks. The trees surrounding the road were growing denser and denser until it seemed as though I had taken the wrong turn directly into the middle of the forest. To my relief, I caught a glimpse of a black mailbox with the numbers Adam had texted me painted on the side in a pretty silver paint.

My car was greeted by one of the longest driveways I had ever been down. It took nearly two full minutes to make my way up the path, which was just as densely flanked by trees. I could see the appeal of having a hidden house for people like the Woods.

I could also see the appeal of living in a house like _that_.

My mouth went a little slack as I pulled up beside Adam's Audi. It looked like one of those houses featured on the home improvement networks that I always found myself watching. It was much more modern than I would have imagined, since I had been picturing some kind of Victorian house all this time (maybe because Adam was Victorian aged himself). The house was made up of clean lines of dark metal, but the exterior was covered with warm wood and stone, interspersed with windows that gleamed in the afternoon sun. I counted three floors, the top of which being the smallest though it still would have comfortably fit the entire second story of my home.

Movement in the corner of my peripheral caught my attention and I watched as the door to the attached garage pulled up smoothly to reveal the backends of two cars. I took a steadying breath when Adam came into view, still under the cover of the garage's shadow, his hand raised in a wave. I could see how bright his eyes were from where I sat. Another quick breath before I cut my engine.

_It's time to meet the parents._


	9. Genus

_((AN: So so **so **sorry that it's been forever since my last update! I moved back from London and school/work has been insane, but I'm finally on spring break and got a chance to bang out the rest of this chapter. Hope you all like it!)_

A breeze caught in my hair as I made my way up to where Adam waited in his garage. I noticed him take in a short breath just as I stepped into the shadow of the house.

"What's wrong?" I wondered hesitantly, brow furrowed as I looked up at him. He reached for my hand and tugged me closer, kissing the wrinkles on my forehead away.

"Nothing is wrong. You just look particularly…" He looked down at me appreciatively; his eyes were as unnaturally blue as I had ever seen them. "Lovely… And well, _human_. _Don't_ blush," he warned in a good-natured voice. I tried to follow the suggestion but leaned my head into his chest to hide the light pink beneath my cheeks.

His one arm came up to wrap around my shoulders, hugging me to him. "How is it even possible that you could smell any more appealing?" Adam thought out loud. I laughed nervously.

"I'm sorry?" I answered, lifting my head to look back up at those cobalt blues and smiling. It was Adam's turn to laugh at me.

"No need to be sorry. Just… Maybe stand downwind from everyone," he suggested, in what I hoped was a joking manner. I nodded then cast my eyes around the spick and span garage, where everything was just as modern and organized as the actual house itself. Endless days and nights must have been conducive with cleanliness. My eyes finally focused on the cars beside us and widened ever so slightly.

Somehow, I found myself forgetting just how much money Adam's family must have had.

The car closest to us was a sporty Jaguar, the same shiny black as Adam's with darkened windows, while a dark gray Range Rover stood silently beside its companion.

"You all quite like your cars, don't you?" I asked, stepping out of Adam's arm and running my fingertips along the side of the Jaguar until I stood at the front of the car.

"You could certainly say that." Adam was standing by my side without my having registered it. "You can imagine with the natural speed and everything, if we are going to use a car, we'd want it to be just as smooth a ride as our own two feet," he explained, taking my hand in his. I nodded, but it was then that I realized that the silver Infiniti the other Wood siblings had been driving to school since Adam and I had been together was missing.

"Wait, where's your other car?" I wondered, curious as to whether or not someone had decided to dip out of the entire situation.

"Oh, Ella and Frank went hunting last night down near Mount Rainier and decided to take the car. They didn't want to risk coming back in the sun but they'll be home in fifteen minutes." I let out the breath I had been holding and smiled. "Come on, let's get you inside. Everyone's waiting with bated breath; trust me, I can hear them."

Another nervous laugh from me. Adam caught the edge in the sound and bent to kiss me softly before resting his forehead against mine. "Don't worry, Brynn. Just be the girl I fell in love with and you'll be more than golden." I smiled then, squeezing his fingers tightly.

"Alright." I took a deep breath. "Let's put them out of their misery." _And mine_, I added. I set my shoulders back and kept the smile on my lips as Adam led me up the stairs out of the garage. We walked through a small mudroom and down a hallway where a few jackets hung; very normal, homey touches, I noticed. The hallway emptied into the main room and I'm sure Adam was focused on not laughing when my mouth made a small popping sound as it fell open.

Much like the exterior of the Wood's house, the inside could have earned a spot on the cover of one of those home decor magazines my mom always had lying around our house. The living room's ceiling didn't stop on the first floor, but on the second. A wrought iron chandelier hung above our heads, casting a warm light over the open space, but it was upstaged by the floor-to-ceiling window that served as the back wall to the house. There was a sheer shade pulled down over it so that the sun outside was dimmed, but I could still see the vast backyard that sloped down to a thin, semi-frozen river. The mountains in the distance stood like silent soldiers, their snowy caps warmed by the sunlight and the places where the snow did not touch were the same smokey gray color of the couch that faced the rest of the open space. We continued past the long, dark wood dining table that took up residence in the center of the room and Adam released my hand just as we stopped at the kitchen. The walls of the space were painted the same muted gray as the sweater Adam wore, the sleeves of which he pushed up to his elbows as he faced me.

"Would you like something to drink?" he asked politely, receiving a pair of raised eyebrows from me. "Don't act so surprised―we have emergency 'humans are here' props." I laughed and shook my head before replying.

"Of course you do. I guess some water wouldn't hurt?" I rested my folded hands on the large marble island. I had been gazing up at the three rectangular lights that hung from the high ceiling by thin silver cords when Adam placed what looked like a stemless wine glass in front of me. I thanked him and took a long drag of water which was refreshingly cool against my burning, nervous throat.

"Your home is absolutely beautiful," I told him, setting the glass down and turning to look back at the rest of the kitchen. Everything just seemed to gleam there.

"Thank you―Elizabeth will be glad to hear that," Adam replied beside me before I heard an expectant pull of breath whistle under his teeth. "Speaking of… Elizabeth. James."

I wheeled around in my spot, steadying myself on the island once more. On the other side of the kitchen stood two of the most lovely people I had ever seen. My breath caught in my throat momentarily; I coughed out an, "Oh, hi!" in an attempt to clear it. Adam's adoptive parents both seemed to laugh to themselves before James strode across the room.

"Well, hello there. You must be the lovely Brynn we've heard so much about," James said in a warm, deep voice. He lifted his hand to me; my auto-pilot manners told me to shake his hand and I followed the impulse.

Dr. James Wood was a very, very, _very_ handsome man. Maybe not a typical heartthrob type of handsome, but rather an Austen hero type. His lips were thin but he had a jaw-droppingly dazzling smile that caused his bright cobalt eyes to crinkle at the corners. _He doesn't look a day over thirty-five _were the words my dad had used during dinner with Adam; thirty-five would have been pushing it. His black coffee-colored hair was pushed back off his forehead in a more tousled style than Adam's, making him seem all that much younger. I could see only the faintest signs of aging on his face, but perhaps that was because his features carried a certain amount of wisdom in them. I seemed to remember my words before I could analyze his face any more.

"In the flesh!" I laughed nervously. "I'm sorry it took me so long to finally meet you."

"Oh, Brynn, don't worry about it. God knows we're the patient types." Elizabeth had made her way to her husband's side, waving off my apology.

As handsome as her husband was, Elizabeth was just as spectacular. She looked as if she had climbed out of a pre-Raphaelite painting, with red waves of hair that shone gold in the light and a squared jaw; a small dimple in her chin just below wide, full lips made it look like John William Waterhouse himself had swiped a bit of paint on his canvas accidentally. She wasn't quite as tall as I was, but her presence seemed to demand attention with all of its curves and subtle strength. Even dressed in a pale pink cashmere sweater and jeans, she looked powerful.

"We've been looking forward to meeting you for quite some time now. Pictures don't do you justice," she added, smiling and reaching to squeeze my upper arm. I could feel myself blush, which made Adam clear his throat beside me. His parents seemed to be immune to my humanity, but that didn't mean Adam wasn't aware.

"Oh, gosh―thank you," I sputtered before pulling my hair over one shoulder. "But I really am glad Adam invited me over today." This much was becoming true, now that our initial meeting was out of the way. I hadn't really known what to expect, but the warm, dazzling couple that stood in front of me was more welcoming than I could have ever imagined. "And like I said, your home is incredible."

"Thank you―We're lucky that Liz here has quite the eye for interior design," James commented, rubbing his wife's shoulder. She waved him off but smiled all the same.

"A few hundred years of domesticity will give you some ideas," Elizabeth answered nonchalantly. _Just a few hundred years. _Her flippant response made it clear that they knew that I knew about their family. Granted, it would have been a truly impressive feat for Adam to have kept such a secret from me in the months that we had been together. Normal teenaged boys wouldn't have spent their time breathing against pulse points or running through the woods looking for their next meal.

I had to stop myself from laughing at the thought. Sometimes I was caught off guard by the ridiculousness of it all.

"Working on the house also gave me something to focus on since I wasn't teaching for a while there," Elizabeth added, glancing up at the light fixtures before her navy eyes met mine once more. I did notice then that while she obviously hadn't gone hunting for quite some time, her eyes were more gold-flecked than Adam's were.

"You're a teacher?" I wondered, eyebrows raised. Adam had failed to mention her profession before.

"Well, actually," she started, shifting in a way Adam had explained was part of their human act, "I'm a professor. I was doing night lectures down in Boston every now and then when we were on the east coast. I thought I might like a break to just do-" She gestured in the air with the hand that wasn't wrapped around James' waist. "Well, _things_ for myself when we moved here but I was more restless than anything. I started badgering the University of Washington for a spot in their history department, and how could they turn down a woman my age with a PhD in American History?" She shrugged her shoulders.

"How could they turn down a woman who has actually _lived_ through all of America's history?" James cocked a thick eyebrow down at his wife, making her laugh.

I giggled despite myself. His comment put Elizabeth at at least 250 years old, which should have freaked me out much more than it did in that moment.

"Ah, _details_," Elizabeth responded before taking a breath. "But enough about me, I want to know more about _you._"

"Yeah, I wanna hear all about Brynn, the mystery girlfriend." This statement came not from the couple in front of me, but rather from the staircase. The voice belonged to Terry, who stood with his arms crossed over his broad chest; the dark red flannel he was wearing didn't seem all too content with how stretched it was across his bicep. Just a few steps behind him, Gwen drifted down the stairs, fiddling with one of the white gold tendrils that tumbled out of the low bun she had spun her hair into.

"Oh, Ter, don't be an ass," the blonde warned in a voice just as soft and lovely as her appearance. She seemed to tap Terry's shoulder and he froze for a second, as if he hadn't been expecting the touch, before shaking his head.

"Hey, I'm not being an ass! You can't blame me for being curious about the girl my big brother's gone all _moony_ for," Terry answered, clasping his hands in a surprisingly Anna-esque fashion. I could have sworn I felt the daggers Adam stared back at him zoom over my head; perhaps they were the reason my face felt so hot.

"Brynn just got here and we'd like for herto _stay _here," James suggested, his eyes flashing from Terry to Adam. I wasn't so mortified by the exchange, since it was no news to me that Adam loved me; though I was interested in Terry's choice of the word _moony_. I supposed I was just as moony over him and maybe I was unaware of how people on the outside saw us.

I was more interested in the fact that the biggest of the Woods had called my boyfriend his big brother. It seemed a bit ironic, but made me guess at how old Terry actually was. I spent only a beat thinking about these things and tried to laugh.

"It's fine―I'd be happy to answer any questions," I answered, trying my best to flash an equally snarky smirk back at Terry. Adam's hand clasping my shoulder with a quick squeeze told me that it had had its desired effect; his brother must have been impressed. "Though I can't say I'm nearly as interesting," I added, pushing my curls back over my shoulder.

Gwen's sudden, short laugh caught me off guard. "Oh, Adam seems to think you're plenty interesting," she explained, pushing the sleeves of her forest green turtleneck up to expose her alabaster skin.

"Can everyone _please _stop speaking for me?" Adam protested from beside me. It was an odd thing to witness; Adam in the role of son and brother. In the past few months, I had obviously been informally introduced to his "siblings" but had only gotten the chance to talk to them on a very surface level. Seeing Adam interact in such a…well, human way just seemed so out of place, though I did find it kind of adorable. I was used to seeing him as the confident (albeit a bit standoffish) Adam. I was also used to being the only one that teased him; obviously I was not the exception. Perhaps it was because he had gone so long without a partner that he had become the odd-man-out of the Wood family.

"Considering you have a bad habit of doing that for the rest of us," Terry started, taking a seat at one of the four stools on the opposite side of the island. "I don't see the problem here. You got lucky that he gets radio silence with you―" He pointed at me. "The whole mind reading thing gets on your nerves after eighty years."

"Imagine being in _your _head for eighty years," Adam countered.

"Hey, I think it's a great place to be," Terry said smugly. I had been watching the two of them as they bantered back and forth; I caught Adam rolling his eyes as his brother spoke. Gwen did the very same as she sat at Terry's side.

"_Anyway_," Elizabeth interrupted, obviously amused but equally irritated with her adopted sons, "Brynn, tell us about where you're from. Adam had mentioned it was close to Philadelphia?"

"Yeah, it's about an hour south of there. It's not a particularly extraordinary place, but I do miss living so close to the beach… And the sun." That earned a chuckle from Adam's parents.

"Then you must be very happy about today, then?" James wondered. Happy was only one of about fifty feelings I had about this day. I nodded regardless.

"_Very_… And I guess I shouldn't be so critical. Ocean City really was a great place to grow up as a kid, I just… Outgrew it, I guess. Granted, I decided to move to an even smaller town in my last year of high school, but it's definitely been…" I thought about the last five months of my life. "_Different_."

Adam scoffed a laugh. "Different is one word for it," he mused, lifting his hand off my shoulder to absently play with a piece of hair at the back of my head. I teetered out a small laugh.

"It's natural to want to get away from what you've always known." Liz's eyes appeared to flit up to where Adam's fingers danced through a wave of my hair. "I grew up in Philadelphia, actually, but chose to move to New York when I was seventeen. I understand the desire," she explained, a bittersweet expression flashing over her features. "I did end up coming back home which… Well, I wouldn't have met James otherwise, so I figure life has a funny way of working out."

"Yes―_Funny,_" James agreed, kissing the top of his wife's head. The whole interaction between the two of them reeked of a backstory, but the couple seemed to have decided it wasn't the time to have that discussion. I made a mental note to ask Adam about it later that evening. "But do you like living with your father?" Adam's father wondered, steering the conversation back to me. "We've met a couple of times―I'm sure he's mentioned it."

"Yeah, he has. It's been really nice living with him, whenever he's around. I had forgotten about the little similarities that we had. My mom's much more... Outspoken than Michael and I, so the quiet can be nice." I hesitated, stealing a glance up at Adam before continuing. "But he just finished a huge case, so he's actually on a-um… getaway this weekend with some guys from his firm." This fact made Elizabeth's eyebrows lift ever so slightly, as if this was no surprise and she'd been waiting for this information to slip from my lips.

"Well Adam, I hope you offered to keep Brynn company for the weekend. You're more than welcome to sleep here if your house gets too lonely, dear," Liz offered. While appreciated, her invitation had both Adam and I tensing up at each other's side. My ears became hot and I knew my cheeks must have been flaming.

Adam cleared his throat in a very human fashion before replying. "Of course I offered and _stop staring_, _Terry_." His bright blue eyes had flashed over to his brother, who was now trying to look occupied with the small button that was keeping his sleeves in place. Curiosity grabbed my attention, but it didn't take very long to connect the dots. _You look particularly… Well, human_, Adam had warned me. I tried to calm the heavy blush that snitched on my humanity.

"Sorry―I was making an observation," Terry responded, leaning back in his chair and slinging an arm over the top of Gwen's seat. "And you said you wanted to stay _out_ of my head."

"Well it's pretty difficult when you think so _loudly_," Adam retorted. I reached my hand up to rub Adam's upper back in a comforting gesture; I could feel his shoulder blades tense then release under my touch.

Quickly (i.e. desperately) reeling the conversation back a few steps, I looked once more at Liz then James. "Thank you so much for offering―That's really too nice of you."

"Oh, please, do not worry about it. You're welcome here whenever you'd like. Now, I know Adam had plans for you today, so we'll leave you two alone―We can always talk later." Elizabeth glanced pointedly at the tallest of the Woods, who begrudgingly, albeit gracefully, shifted out of his chair; Gwen, sighing, followed suit.

"Have fun." Terry winked at Adam and I before he flashed out of the room, followed by the remaining Woods. I was genuinely surprised Adam didn't follow after him considering the absolutely seething look that marked his face. Instead, he turned to me and after releasing a quick breath, took me into a gentle hug.

"I'll apologize for my brother now and for all time," he muttered into my hair, making me laugh.

"It's okay. I couldn't control my humanity enough." It was Adam's turn to chuckle. "But did your mom really just…? Did she know?"

My boyfriend sighed and ran a hand down my hair before responding. "Elizabeth knows… Well, a lot of things. Unintentionally."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that she… She's _gifted_, like me... but not in the same way," he continued, glancing in the direction the redhead had just gone. "Elizabeth is able to see glimpses of future events." I gaped up at him for a moment. _Was this a common theme in his family? Was that a prerequisite for joining the Wood coven? _

_Member must be:_

_A. drop dead gorgeous_

_B. supernaturally talented_

_C. ―_

Adam spoke again before I could think of other requirements."By extension, I can see what she sees."

I thought of how tense he had gotten after Elizabeth had mentioned keeping me company. Again, and like it always did, curiosity got the best of me. "What did she see? Just now."

His marble-like forehead wrinkled before one of his hands reached up to cover his eyes. A moment passed before he sighed and responded, "Glimpses… Of you and I." Adam had pushed back his hair as he spoke, dropping his hand for emphasis as he added, "In a possibly compromising position."

I remembered a time when I wanted to puddle from embarrassment at the thought of Adam being able to read my thoughts; I wanted to evaporate from existence in that moment.

"You're telling me that your mother just saw us…_Doing what_?" I shook my head to get the image out of it. Mortified wasn't a strong enough word for how I felt.

"Nothing explicit. Just… Well, it seemed to be just you and I, laying in bed and laughing." He paused, looking down at the necklace that rested at the dip of my neck. "It just appeared as if… As if we didn't have many clothes on." I groaned in response.

"Is this the first time she's seen anything concerning you and I?" I wondered, pushing my hair behind both of my ears.

"In that kind of position? Yes. I wish she had just continued reciting the Constitution like she usually does when she's keeping me out," Adam responded, an exasperated expression crossing his face.

"The Constitution?"

"Everyone in the family has a way of shutting me out. Save for Terry. He prefers to keep his mind open and expects me to stay out," he explained, rolling his eyes.

"But why did she seem so… Unfazed by that?" I asked.

"Brynn, you have to remember that while Liz may be my mother figure, she's also my friend and happy to see me happy. It's been a long time coming." He took my shoulders in his hands and held my gaze. "So, if anything, I'll talk to her about it later. Elizabeth is just… Very excited about you." With that he leaned in to give me a kiss, his hands gliding up my shoulders and up to hold my face for a moment. When he pulled away and my heart was beating fast in my chest, he whispered, "And so am I. We'll talk about this, but I don't want to waste anymore sunlight."

"Right," I replied, touching his chest before taking a breath and a step back. "You lead the way." My favorite smile spread across Adam's lips as he took my hand in his.

We made our way into the space just off the main room, where the glass wall continued, though the other walls were covered in books from floor to ceiling. I followed Adam through an archway that led to a hallway with a door at the very end. I could already smell the fresh grass outside. Adam paused halfway down the hall and reached into his back pocket, from which he produced a small, gray sleeping mask. I raised an eyebrow at my boyfriend, glancing down at the fabric in his hands then back up at those ridiculously blue eyes of his.

"Uh… This isn't about to turn into a_ Fifty Shades _kind of thing, right?"

Adam let out a quick laugh and shook his head. "_Fifty Shades? _I hate that I know what you're referencing but _no_. I supposed I might just drag this out a bit longer and the minute I walk out that door, it won't be much of a surprise. So… Humor me?"

I bit my lower lip before taking the sleeping mask from Adam and sliding it over my hair, smoothing down it over my eyes and effectively blocking out the muted sunshine.

"Perfect. I'm going to put you on my back, okay? I'll walk slowly but I know you have a predilection towards clumsiness."

"Hey!" I admonished him, just as he slung my arm around his neck and pulled me on to his back. I tightened my legs around his waist before speaking again. "I've gotten better at staying on my own two feet."

"Yes and you haven't been in the way of any out-of-control cars lately," Adam added, walking steadily down the rest of the hallway until I heard the door click open. "But I'm not going to take my chances."

The smell of sunshine hit my nose and I felt a slight wind tickle my exposed skin. This day was almost supernatural; so much so that I wondered if there was a Wood that could control the weather. It wouldn't be that far of a reach now that I knew that they had a mind reader _and_ a psychic. This thought did make me wonder if they weren't the only ones.

"So… You can read minds and Elizabeth can see the future… Any other powers I should know about?" Adam chuckled and I felt his neck turn as if he were looking back at me.

"Well, you probably noticed Gwen's ability earlier."

"Gwen? Really?" I thought about Adam's beautiful, serious sister. Nothing other than her beauty seemed to be any different, though maybe she had a supernatural sense of patience when it came to her mate. It was like with one touch, Gwen had been able to stop Terry's teasing. "You don't mean when she touched your brother?"

"I knew you were observant." His tone sounded as if he were laughing to himself. "Gwen is―and I hope you don't mind me saying it―particularly...stunning, and I don't mean just in the looks department. She has a nasty advantage over other people. What you saw her do to Terr was just a love tap. I've seen her put men twice her size on their backs just from touching them."

"Seriously?" As if she could be any more intimidating.

"Seriously. I would never want to be on her bad side, which makes me glad I'm her favorite brother."

"How long has Gwen been with your family?" I wondered.

"Ah―it's more of a question of how long I've known her really. Gwen and I knew each other previous to her becoming a Wood and long before she met Terry." I felt Adam crouch a bit then a gust of wind flew past my ears._ Did he just jump?_ I didn't have time to ask before he continued speaking. "It was 1900 when I met Gwen. The World's Fair was in Paris that year, and I was still in my… _Rebellious _stage at that time, so a place filled with humans seemed like a very attractive place to be. However, I was beginning to feel terribly guilty for having left James and Elizabeth and the whole lifestyle was… Emotionally taxing, to say the least." He took a steadying breath and I squeezed my arms tighter around his neck.

"But I came upon Gwen, who had spent the first 25 years of her new life following around this older vampire who relished in the loss of human lives and used her for her power. They would spend their nights in Parisian brothels, searching for unsuspecting victims, but it wasn't where Gwen wanted to be. She felt trapped and I offered her an escape; I said she could come back to the U.S. with me and try out the vegetarian lifestyle."

"So you came back together? And James and Elizabeth understood?"

"Those two always have open arms. James knows what the bloodlust feels like and Liz could see that Gwen would be a valuable addition to our strange little family. It wasn't until 1929, when she found Terry, that Gwen finally felt at peace though. So I'll give him that."

"But you and Gwen never…" The question was there in my quiet voice. Adam halted slightly before continuing his steady walk.

"Christ, Brynn. _Never_ in the 115 years I've known Gwen Beauchamp, have I thought of her as anything other than a sister."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously," Adam responded. "Yes, she's a beautiful woman but… We've always been… Different with each other. It's about as hard to explain as the magnetism I feel towards you." My skin warmed in response to his statement. "But nevermind all of that―here we are," Adam said, releasing my legs and allowing me to slip down from his back. Lush grass caught my feet as I landed.

"Where are we?"

"Just beyond the river behind my house, but the trees cover more here," Adam explained. _So he did jump_. "Just stand right there for a second." I nodded, and acknowledged the fact that he had not, in fact, lit up in flames while we had been walking and seemed to be just as strong as usual.

"Okay-" I heard him say from what seemed like a small distance away. "You can take off the blindfold now." I took a deep breath, readying myself. _He's still going to be Adam. He's _still _Adam_. I slid the gray fabric off my head and blinked into the blinding sunlight. It took a moment for my pupils to adjust before I could see Adam standing just within the shade of the trees, five feet in front of me. He'd removed his sweater so that he stood shirtless and bouncing in place slightly.

I don't think I'd ever seen him so anxious. "Are you ready?" he asked, setting his shoulders in a determined manner. I nodded, holding my breath as Adam walked out from under the shade of the trees.

At first, the change in him didn't register in my mind; he was still Adam in my eyes. Then, as the sun poured over his skin and face, I finally recognized the shift.

His skin, which had always been as perfect as marble, seemed to be turning into just that. Not that he had suddenly become one of those Grecian statues I always compared him to, but his body had become more chiseled and his skin seemed to glow not just from the sun, but from within. Not so that it was overwhelming but if a normal person were to come upon him on a day like today, they would feel as if they were in the presence of a god. Hell, I felt that way.

"Adam, oh―" I took a step towards him, closing the space between us and touching his forearms with the tips of my fingers. I traced where his pulse should have been running, down to his hands which felt smoother than ever, then back up his arms until my hands came to rest on his chest. "You're… Wow. My God." I had been muttering to myself before I looked up to meet his cobalt gaze.

I didn't find any blue looking back down at me.

Instead, it was as if those gold flecks in his eyes had melded together, piece by piece, until they consumed what was left of the azure. Now, Adam's eyes glowed pure gold beneath his furrowed brow. I blew out the breath I had been holding before touching his face.

"Y-Your eyes…Just… _You_." I couldn't come up with the words. Yes, he was still Adam but I could hardly believe he was a vampire when he looked like this. No, he _was _a god.

"I know, that's the most disconcerting part. Sunglasses help to cover them up but they do get more sensitive." As if to emphasize the point, Adam squinted up at the sun before looking back down at me. "So, does this meet your expectations?"

"I didn't know what to expect," I answered honestly, letting my hands trace down the front of his body until they rested on his sides. "I just didn't know you could get anymore… Well, _beautiful_."

Adam chuckled in response. "I was going to say the same to you. It seems as if the sun loves you as much as I do." He reached up to move a piece of sunlit hair away from my face before pulling me into his arms. Was I lucky enough to say that I was loved both by day _and _night? I nestled my cheek against his radiant skin, his evergreen scent overwhelming my senses.

"I love you. Every part, you know," I murmured into his chest. His lips pressed to my forehead.

"Mind reading, blood drinking, golden eyes and all?" he wondered, earning a giggle from me.

"All of it. I mean it." I lifted away from Adam's chest so I could give him a firm kiss on those marble lips of his, which he enthusiastically returned. Maybe it was his glowing presence or the sunshine or the thought of Elizabeth's vision, but I allowed myself to get a bit lost in him; I think Adam did the same, because within a few moments, he had me pressed against one of the tall trees that surrounded the clearing. Both of his hands were gripped firmly on my hips, holding them against his. His jeans, once again, found themselves in an increasingly common predicament, making my cheeks flush.

I let out a breathy moan when his lips slid down my neck to the point where my pulse thundered beneath my skin. "A-Adam, what if someone sees us?" I asked, out of breath and nearly delirious.

"Here." He wrapped my legs around his waist and moved us to the other side of the wide trunk, so we would be blocked from view. "No one's looking, if that makes you feel better." I nodded in response, watching as his eyes returned to blue before darkening like they had the first night he had stayed in my bed. _It's not that I want your blood... It's your body that I'm more concerned about. _I felt his words ringing in my ears as he bent to kiss my collarbone then back up to my mouth. I could tell he was trying his best to be gentle, but that didn't mean that he wasn't putting some force into each movement of his hips against mine.

Perhaps, beyond the mortification of having Elizabeth show him the glimpse into our future, Adam was eager to see it come true. Perhaps I was too. Not against a tree behind his home, but… _Soon_? I moaned at the thought.

Adam breathed my name is response, holding me securely against him with one arm while his other hand worked its way up beneath my blouse, then to the clasp of the pretty, baby pink bra I had chosen just in case we found ourselves in such a moment. Granted, I hadn't been expecting such a moment outside at four in the afternoon, but I could barely think of the time as he unclasped the hook without hesitation and slipped his hand under the lacey cup.

It should be mentioned that we had worked up to second base a few nights before. _Like we're some couple in the 1950s, _I thought, moaning as his fingers worked deftly over my sensitive skin. _I don't know, Peggy Sue, should I let him Get Fresh with me? We've only been going steady for four months! _I was brought out of the daydream as Adam whispered in a surprisingly gruff voice, "Brynn, unwrap your legs. I want to try something." I followed his request, because who was I to say no to the god in my arms? With space between my back and the tree, Adam was able to reclasp my bra without difficulty before he met my eyes with a steady, sapphire gaze. "Do you trust me?"

"One hundred percent," I responded with no hesitation.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes, I am _very_ okay." I gave him a reassuring nod, though I wasn't entirely sure what I was okay with. All I knew was that I trusted him.

He nodded, kissing me once more before kneeling in front of me. If he hadn't moved his hands to the top of my pants, I would have thought for one wild moment that he was going to propose. Instead, Adam lifted my shirt up to expose a strip of skin which he promptly kissed with feather light lips.

"God, your skin is so soft," he murmured, nearly to himself, before placing another kiss just below my belly button. My breathing hitched as I watched him methodically unbutton my jeans, which exposed underwear the same lacy pink as my bra. His eyes cast upward to meet mine just as a wry smile spread on his lips. "Still okay?"

"Very," I replied, running my fingers through his rich, chocolatey hair.

"Good," Adam whispered, kissing the fabric in front of him. My pulse continued to pound as I watched him grasp my hips and duck his head down to kiss each of the insides of my thigh through my pants.

"Oh, _Adam_," I moaned quietly before hearing what seemed like an echo of his name ringing in my ears. Then again.

"Adam!" Okay, that was definitely not an echo. That was Frank's voice. Adam and I looked at each other before he stood quickly, rebuttoning my jeans as he did.

"_What, Frank?_" Adam questioned in what could only be called a lethal voice as he looked around the tree. I was frantically trying to fix myself so that I didn't:

A. Look like I had been pressed up against a tree for the better part of the last 15 minutes.

B. Been fully prepared to have my boyfriend, and Frank's theoretical brother, go down on me in the middle of the day.

"Is this a bad time?" Frank asked from what I could imagine was about ten feet away.

"It is _now_," Adam growled.

"I-I can leave," the blond Wood brother offered.

"No, what is it?" Adam sighed, running a hand through the hair that I had mussed up not even a minute before.

"James and Elizabeth were, uh, wondering what you'd like to have for dinner, Brynn." At the mention of my name, I moved to stand at Adam's side, touching his back delicately. I'd forgotten that he was naked from the waist up, but Frank seemed to be ignoring the fact, or at least the face behind his Clubmaster sunglasses wasn't entirely fazed. "Is steak okay with you?"

"Oh, gosh, I'll eat anything really, but steak sounds great. They really don't need to go through the trouble," I answered, trying my best to act normal.

"Don't worry about it―They're happy to do it. But, um, I'll run down and tell them," Frank replied, doing a quick thumbs up in our direction before speeding out of sight, I'm sure to avoid Adam strangling him.

I wasn't wrong in my assumption. "I'm going to _murder_ him," Adam grumbled, rubbing his eyes with the heels of his palms. "He couldn't have waited… _Ten _more minutes."

"He probably didn't realize―"

"Brynn, the hormones in the air are nearly dizzying. He should have waited." He sighed heavily, shaking his head. "I'm sorry about that."

"No, it's okay," I told him. "We were getting carried away, I guess."

"Yes, I suppose we were, but Brynn..." Adam tugged me against him, holding me close so that his lips were pressed to my ear. "That won't be the last time I see that pink lace today." I felt my face turn the same shade of pink. "I promise," he added, before kissing my neck once more and letting me take a step away as he retrieved his sweater.

While we walked, I considered Adam's promise. I glanced up at his golden eyes and smiled when he caught me doing so; his responding smile lit my nerve endings up once more.

If I had learned anything that day (and I had learned a lot about the Wood coven in a very short amount of time), the most important lesson was this: there is nothing more deadly than a sexually-frustrated vampire.


End file.
